In the league soccer match between Türkspor Neckarsulm and TSG Backnang on Saturday, an anti-LGBTQ+ incident occurred: As the Heilbronner Stimme (a paid article) reports, a match-day steward prohibited a Backnang fan from hanging a rainbow flag, because supporters of the home team—founded in 1969 by Turkish guest workers—had issues with it. The two clubs compete in the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg, the fifth tier of German soccer.
The 52-year-old fan, who wished to remain anonymous, told the report: “I’ve never experienced anything like this.” He removed the flag after the steward’s insistent request. He now intends to report the case to the soccer association.
A 22-year-old woman who witnessed the moment also said that the fan had always carried the rainbow flag to games and that there had never been any trouble before. She expressed disbelief that Türkspor would not tolerate the flag, given that people of Turkish descent in Germany themselves face discrimination.
Türkspor board member Cumali Ardin said he had not heard of the incident and downplayed it. “Let’s not make a mountain out of it,” he urged. While he acknowledged that “political things” have no place in soccer, he added when pressed that he does not view the rainbow flag as a political symbol.
TSG-Trainer: Aktion des Heimteams “in der heutigen Zeit ärgerlich, bitter”
Criticism came from Mario Marinic, the TSG Backnang coach. He referred to the fan with the rainbow flag as the so-called twelfth man of his team and criticized that the incident is “in today’s times, annoying and bitter.”
The league match ended 1-1. Backnang is currently 12th out of 18 teams, Türkspor sits one place ahead.
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Posted by Türkspor Neckarsulm 1969 e.V. on Sunday, September 7, 2025
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Immer wieder kommt es in Fußball-Amateurligen der Männer zu queerfeindlichen Zwischenfällen. Letztes Jahr musste etwa der niedersächsische Fußballverein Atlas Delmenhorst eine Strafe in Höhe von 3.000 Euro zahlen, nachdem Fans ein Transparent mit einer homosexuellenfeindlichen Aufschrift gezeigt hatten. Einen Monat später erhielt Energie Cottbus, damals ein Regionalligist, eine Geldstrafe von 2.500 Euro für das gleiche Vergehen.
