Bernd Neuendorf, DFB President: “Ladies and gentlemen, Fifa has today forbidden a statement on diversity and human rights. These are values to which they are committed in their own statutes. From our point of view, this is more than frustrating and also a I think it’s an unprecedented event in the history of the World Cup. From my point of view, it’s a demonstration of power by Fifa. It made it clear to us that we would be threatened with sporting consequences if we didn’t comply with the request not to wear the bandage .”
Oliver Bierhoff, DFB director: “Fifa’s behavior is of course frustrating, for us too. And this escalation also means that it’s actually no longer about sport. And now, before the games, the other nations naturally also want each other prepare immediately for the game. Of course that’s a big annoyance there. It feels a lot like censorship. And of course you can take the bandage from us. But we will have the values that we stand for, and we will have them too to express again and again.”