Germany urge players to avoid political statements at World Cup

BERLIN: Germany sporting director Rudi Voeller on Wednesday urged members of the World Cup squad to avoid making political statements during this summer’s tournament.

Speaking from Germany’s pre-World Cup camp in northern Bavaria, Voeller said players were not under a gag order but encouraged them to keep sport and politics “somewhat separate” while at the finals.

Voeller said there would be no specialist media training ahead of the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, unlike in the lead-up to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

“If someone wishes to do so, they are welcome to do it in the run-up to the tournament,” Voeller said of players making political statements.

“However, if it hasn’t happened until this point, it generally shouldn’t start happening now.”