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Kissinger visit fails to boost Fürth’s fortunes

Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said on Saturday he hoped Gruether Fürth win this season's Bundesliga title after returning to his Franconian hometown to watch his football team play.

Kissinger visit fails to boost Fürth's fortunes
Photo: DPA

The 89-year-old, who served under presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, was born in Fürth and as a boy he watched Gruether Fürth play before his Jewish family fled Nazi Germany in 1938.

Having won Germany’s second division in May, Fürth are playing their first season in the Bundesliga in the club’s 109-year history and Kissinger, who served as Secretary of State from 1973 until 1977, is a life-long fan.

“I wish Fürth win the title,” he said with a wink having travelled from the US to visit Fürth’s Trolli Arena ground, formerly known as the Ronhof, for the German league match against Schalke 04.

“The Ronhof I know has changed a lot. I used to watch the game from the terraces, but I will be treated a lot better today.”

Kissinger won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973 for his role in the Paris Peace Accords, which eventually helped lead to the end of the Vietnam War.

While in office, he insisted on being informed of Fürth’s results.

“My father always advised me, opera visits were better than going to the Ronhof,” he said.

“Whenever I went there, I always got into trouble when I got home. I had always hoped they would be promoted.”

Fürth’s president Helmut Hack was delighted Kissinger had paid the north Bavarian team a visit.

“It’s wonderful that he kept his promise to come and see us,” he said. “He’s our most famous ambassador to the world.”

But Kissinger’s visit was not enough to lift his team who lost 2-0 after goals by Julian Draxler, who turns 19 on Thursday, and midfielder Lewis Holtby.

The defeat left Fürth 12th in the league.

AFP/hc

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RACISM

VIDEO: Spain’s La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

Spain's La Liga on Monday said it was reviewing a video of a child making racist insults towards Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during the 2-2 draw with Valencia at the weekend.

VIDEO: Spain's La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

“We’re in the process of studying and analysing the facts from a legal standpoint to see what we can and should do,” La Liga sources said.

In a video published by a journalist for ESPN Brasil, and picked up by Spanish media, a boy sitting in a woman’s lap can be heard calling Vinicius a “monkey”.

https://twitter.com/GravesenFumado/status/1764242481984491822

The Brazilian scored twice for Madrid as his team recovered from two goals down at Mestalla on Saturday.

Vinicius raised his fist in a “Black Power” salute after the first of his two goals at a ground where he was racially abused last season. Valencia subsequently banned three people from the stadium for life.

The 23-year-old has become a symbol of the fight against discrimination in Spanish football after suffering racist abuse on many occasions, and he was jeered repeatedly by home supporters on Saturday.

Jude Bellingham was sent off after the final whistle against Valencia for protesting after the referee blew the final whistle right before the England midfielder headed home what he thought was the winning goal.

READ ALSO: Football star Vinicius highlights racist behaviour from Spanish fans

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