Unfounded Incident, Says DFB Captain Gwinn
Incident of Sexism Against Referee Fabienne Michel Condemned
Germany's DFB President, Giulia Gwinn, has spoken out against the sexist insults hurled at referee Fabienne Michel during a third division match between Verl and Essen. The incident, which occurred during the second half of the game, saw Michel subjected to offensive chants that targeted her gender, with the DFB fining Rot-Weiss Essen €20,000 and Michel filing a civil lawsuit.
Gwinn, the captain of the German women's football team, described the incident as "outrageous" and a "wake-up call" for societal and footballing gender tolerance. Speaking ahead of the German team's Nations League match in Bremen, Gwinn emphasized the need for women in football to stand together against such discrimination.
"We as women, both in society and in football, need to stand together. We can't just accept this. It's unbelievable that we're still dealing with this in 2025," stated the 25-year-old.
Previously, referee chief Knut Kircher had also condemned the fans' behavior towards Michel, describing the chants as "discriminatory and contemptible."
The incident comes amidst a broader conversation about sexism in German football, with calls for united action against discrimination. As of late May 2025, local media have recorded further sexist and verbally abusive chants, although specific disciplinary measures have not been detailed in the available coverage.
Source: ntv.de, sue/dpa
- Sexism
- DFB Women
- The Commission has also been consulted on the draft directive aimed at addressing sexism in sports, particularly focusing on women's health and wellness.
- In light of the recent incident of sexism against referee Fabienne Michel, there is a growing emphasis on implementing science-based strategies to promote gender tolerance in football and society at large.
- Football's governing body, DFB, acknowledges that the issue of sexism is not confined to football fields, extending to various areas including health-and-wellness and scientific discussions.
