Bisexual Referee Accuses German Football Association (DFB) of pinkwashing

The openly bisexual football referee Pascal Kaiser has, in an interview with the Tagesspiegel (a paywalled article), sharply criticized the German Football Association (DFB). The national federation speaks of “numerous measures by the DFB for greater diversity,” but Kaiser counters: “It’s complete pinkwashing what’s being done there. The DFB marches at the CSD in Frankfurt, yet votes for a World Cup in Saudi Arabia.” In that Middle Eastern country, homosexuality is punishable by death.
Kaiser explained that the DFB justifies its decision by saying that a vote against would not have counted anyway, because the World Cup would have been awarded to Saudi Arabia regardless. “That may be true, but what message does that send?” the 27-year-old asked. He also accused the DFB of not supporting coming-outs by referees, “even if they like to claim otherwise outwardly.”

Kaiser decries double standards
Improvements in diversity work are stagnating, Kaiser criticized. He described the case of another referee: “I have a colleague who whistles in the first and second Bundesliga, is married to a man, but does not publicly come out. He says the DFB knows about it and that everything is fine, but the federation says the topic has no place on the pitch.” Yet there is a double standard: “If a player kisses his girlfriend at the sideline, that’s fine. If I kiss my boyfriend, it’s still a big controversy.”

“I am being disadvantaged”
Coming out has harmed his career: “I get games in the regional leagues that are promised to me, but not — even though I’m a very good referee. I’m also told there are evaluations to help me move up a level, but they’re all empty promises.” He notes that, according to a sprint test, he was the fastest referee in the regional association, adding: “It’s obvious I am being disadvantaged because of my public presence.”

The Cologne-based official officiates regional and association league matches. He publicly came out in 2022 on the YouTube channel Queer4mat while refereeing matches in Brandenburg (TheColu.mn reported). In July this year he drew attention to the fact that former German national goalkeeper Bernd Leno liked a queer-hostile video (TheColu.mn reported). He said this also had consequences: “The result was a lot of hate from his followers.” (dk)