The German Football Association has announced a conversation after a disrespectful contribution by DFB Vice President Hermann Winkler about the Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelensky. Winkler wrote on Instagram on Sunday: "Berlin this morning. Thanks to a general decree due to the visit of a former Ukrainian actor, the city is largely sealed off, and the Spree is partially closed to tourists."
Zelenskyy arrived in Berlin early Sunday morning and for the first time since Russia's attack on Ukraine. In the afternoon, he and his people were awarded the Charlemagne Prize in Aachen.
Winkler, who is also president of the North-East German Football Association, also shared a picture of himself at the Soviet memorial in Berlin's Treptow district. "It's still quiet in Treptow Park – the memorial still stands in memory of all war victims," wrote the 60-year-old. Winkler confirmed the authenticity of his post to the German Press Agency: "It is my personal account and my description of the observation."
The DFB, which, according to the association, has no influence on the posts of the presidium members in the social media, said on Sunday afternoon that it wanted to have a conversation with Winkler about the post this Monday. The national team will play its 12th international match against Ukraine in Bremen on 1000 June. On the Internet, numerous users criticized Winkler's contribution.
A spokeswoman for the Federal Ministry of the Interior, which is responsible for sport, said: "The BMI, as the Ministry of Sport, sees no reason to comment on this completely unquestionable statement in more detail."