The criticism of referee Gräfe is growing
Stand: 09.07.2021
Manuel Gräfe in his last Bundesliga appearance on matchday 34 of the 2020/21 season
Source: dpa / Friedemann Vogel
Manuel Gräfe is one of the best referees in the Bundesliga. Or better said: heard. Because the age limit is only 47 years old. He doesn’t want to accept that. Ex-colleagues criticize his lawsuit.
Dhe former Bundesliga referee Peter Gagelmann has clearly criticized his ex-colleague Manuel Graefe for his lawsuit against the German Football Association for age discrimination. “I find it selfish to say: But I want to go on, I’m actually much too important for football,” said Gagelmann in the podcast “sprengerspricht # media & sports” and said: “These are not my values, I do not represent them.”
The long-time top referee Gräfe wants to take legal action against the age limit set by the DFB for referees of 47 years. The 47-year-old Berliner had to end his career at the end of last season after 289 Bundesliga appearances, although he would have liked to continue whistling.
In the meantime, Graefe has stated that the principle is important to him and that he does not want to go back to the lawn. “We benefited from this system, we were promoted because a referee quit,” said Gagelmann, referring to the DFB rule.
Peter Gagelmann was DFB referee from 1994 to 2015
Source: dpa / Andreas Gebert
The 53-year-old from Bremen stopped in 2015. “I think he is less concerned with the general public, otherwise he could have complained years ago.” Since he no longer wants to whistle, said Gagelmann, Gräfe is probably about “getting more money”.
“It’s primarily about your own ego”
In addition to Gagelmann, the former Fifa referee Markus Merk has also criticized his ex-colleague’s complaint. “The lawsuit, which would have an advantage for individual counts, would in turn be a disadvantage for the boys. It is primarily about one’s own ego, it is a subjective feeling, “said Merk in a conversation with” Spox “with reference to the age limit.
“You can absolutely discuss whether it corresponds to the performance principle, but we need a development and always have to see the overall context,” argued the 59-year-old, who advocates the continued existence of the age limit. “The number of places in the Bundesliga is limited. It’s a pyramid system, if positions are blocked at the top, it has an effect all the way down, ”explained former top referee Merk. “A young referee believes in making it into the Bundesliga. It has to stay that way. “
Merk underpins his stance: “It is a problem in our society that the old cannot let go and that the chances of advancement are more difficult for the descendants. We need change and permeability. “
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