DFB ethics commission adjourned in Tönnies case

The ethics committee of the German Football Association (DFB) has adjourned in the Clemens Tönnies case. The four-member committee, chaired by Nikolaus Schneider, had discussed the 63-year-old’s racist statements at the beginning of the month with Schalke 04’s club boss in a telephone conference lasting several hours on Thursday.

“That was an open and honest conversation. But we still need some more information in order to make a decision that will be made in the near future,” Schneider told the Sports Information Service (SID).

Although the Ethics Committee cannot impose sanctions, it can initiate investigations and, if there is sufficient suspicion, bring charges before the Ethics Chamber of the Sports Court.

Previously, the five-member Schalker honorary council had come to the conclusion that the accusation of racism raised against Tönnies was “unfounded”. Tönnies gave a speech on the topic “Entrepreneurship with responsibility – ways into the future of food production” at the festive event of the “Day of Crafts” in Paderborn on 1 August. The Schalke boss recommended the financing of power plants in Africa and said: “Then the Africans would stop felling trees and they would stop producing children when it is dark”.

One day later a public apology followed from Tönnies, who resigned his office as chairman of the supervisory board until mid-November. Nevertheless, there was harsh criticism of the billion-dollar entrepreneur from Rheda-Wiedenbrück.