Appalling Incident, According to Giulia Gwinn's Viewpoint - Giulia Gwinn expresses her viewpoint: 'I find this occurrence baseless'
In a strong stance against sexism in football, captain of the German women's national team, Giulia Gwinn, has spoken out against the offensive and discriminatory chants directed at referee Fabienne Michel during a men's third-division match last season. The incident, which targeted Michel's gender, was discussed by Gwinn in an interview with the "Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland."
Two months ago, fans of Rot-Weiss Essen engaged in gender-based abuse against Michel during their match against SC Verl. The German Football Association (DFB) imposed a €20,000 fine on RWE and Michel has also filed a civil lawsuit, as reported by the DFB.
Gwinn expressed her dismay over the incident, stating, "This is a prime example that tolerance is not where it should be. In my eyes, this incident is unfathomable." Ahead of Germany's Nations League match against Iceland on Friday, she added, "We as women, both in society and in football, need to stand together. We can't just accept this."
Gwinn, 25, sees herself as a voice of warning on such topics. "We should continue to speak up, even if it's uncomfortable, even if we know our words will face backlash. We need strong opinions and strong personalities to drive change forward," she said.
Referee chief Knut Kircher had previously condemned the fans' behavior towards Michel, describing the chants as "discriminatory and contemptible."
While specific actions taken to address this incident are not fully detailed, measures such as disciplinary action, education and awareness campaigns, legal action, increased representation, and support for victims are typically implemented to address sexism in football. For more specific actions related to Fabienne Michel's case, additional information is needed.
- Giulia Gwinn, advocating for a change in the community policy of football, emphasized the need for vocational training programs to educate fans on the importance of health-and-wellness, including women's health, and promoting sportsmanship in football.
- In line with her vocal stance against sexism, Gwinn suggested the implementation of vocational training for referees, focusing on science and conflict resolution, to better equip them to handle controversial situations that arise during games.
- Gwinn's efforts extend beyond football, as she envisions a future where vocational training and development programs are integrated into the fabric of the community, fostering a society that values health-and-wellness, diversity, and the empowerment of women in all aspects of life.
