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The German professional soccer club VfL Wolfsburg has said that player Kevin Behrens is still with the team and training with his teammates despite an incident where he refused to sign a gay pride shirt and used language against the fan who asked that was considered offensive.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, a team spokesperson confirmed that the situation is being dealt with internally, but that hasn't stopped Behrens from attending training sessions.
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Kevin Behrens runs across the pitch before a game. (Soeren Stache/picture alliance via Getty Images)
"We can confirm that the incident unfortunately took place and that there were immediate talks with Kevin Behrens. He is still taking part in the training sessions, but please understand that as a club we in general don’t comment on sanctions players get. We, as a club, continue to advocate for diversity and an open society. Respect, tolerance, sincerity, and openness have always been firmly embedded in the club’s philosophy," the statement read.
Last week, Behrens refused to sign a Wolfsburg shirt that featured a rainbow logo for the LGBTQ pride flag. Behrens also allegedly said, "I won’t sign that gay [crap]."
The player has since apologized for the incident.
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Participants hold a rainbow flag during the Pride Parade in Bangkok, Thailand, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit, File)
"My spontaneous comments were absolutely not OK. I would like to apologize for that. The issue was clearly discussed internally, and I ask for your understanding that I do not wish to comment further on it," Behrens said in a statement.
Behren's teammate and Wolfsburg captain Maximilian Arnold has worn a rainbow captain's armband for two seasons in solidarity.
"Kevin apologized for something that was definitely not good. Everyone makes mistakes. One thing is clear: Something like this should not happen again, but everyone deserves a second chance," Arnold told reporters last week.
The team previously conducted an in-house video interview with player Yannick Gerhardt on his "commitment against far-right extremism and discrimination." During that video, Gerhardt said he acknowledged his position as a "a White, German man" in a "privileged position."
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Kevin Behrens of Wolfsburg during the Pre-Season Friendly against Brentford at Gtech Community Stadium on Aug. 9, 2024, in Brentford, England. (Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
"I’m very aware of that, but especially if you’re privileged, you have to stand up against discrimination of any kind," he said. "There have been many positive movements in recent years, for example ‘Black Lives Matter,’ where all kinds of people have demonstrated. If the purpose is positive and in the spirit of equal treatment and honoring all human rights, then I'm there. Then it doesn't matter whether I have privileges or not."
Behrens joined the team in January after three years at Union Berlin. He earned a call-up to the German national team early last season. His international debut came last October, when he played as a substitute in a 2-2 draw against the United States.
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