Otto Addo slams rising racism in German football and calls for systemic action
Head coach of Ghana’s senior national team, Otto Addo, has voiced strong frustration over the growing incidents of racism in German football, after multiple cases emerged during the opening round of the DFB-Pokal.
Black Stars winger Christopher Antwi-Adjei was subjected to racist abuse, including being called the “N-word,” during Schalke 04’s clash with Lokomotiv Leipzig, forcing the player to report the incident to the referee. Meanwhile, Kelsey Owusu faced a barrage of racist abuse on social media following his game against Borussia Dortmund for a challenge on midfielder Yan Couto.
Elsewhere, Nadiem Amiri of Mainz 05 also received hateful messages after his side’s match against Kaiserslautern.
Addo, who has long campaigned against racism through his “Roots – Against Racism in Sport” initiative, condemned the incidents and urged the German Football Association (DFB) and the German Football League (DFL) to prioritize anti-racism efforts.
“For years, we’ve seen the same pattern: an incident, then downplaying, then silence,” Addo told Kicker.
“Racism in football is not an accident or a marginal phenomenon — it is systemic. As long as we talk about individual perpetrators and individual idiots, the system remains untouched. In order to change the system, the DFB and DFL must finally make anti-racism a top priority.”
Born in Germany to Ghanaian parents, Addo enjoyed a playing career with Hamburger SV and Borussia Dortmund before committing his international allegiance to Ghana. He has since become a key figure for the Black Stars, where he now serves as head coach.
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