Austria coach Ralf Rangnick has dropped three gamers from the nationwide crew squad for upcoming pleasant video games as a result of they took half in homophobic chants after the Vienna derby final month.
Rapid Vienna gamers Marco Grüll, Guido Burgstaller and goalkeeper Niklas Hedl weren’t included in Rangnick’s crew for video games towards Slovakia and Turkey after they have been filmed participating within the chanting following a 3-0 win towards Austria Vienna on February 25.
“This is something that I will not tolerate in a team where I am a coach, whether in a club or here with the national team,” Rangnick stated when he made his squad announcement Monday night. “Everything we stand for with the national team is at the other end of the scale, and I told the boys that on the phone.”
The former Manchester United and Leipzig coach stated the gamers’ exclusion was not everlasting, leaving open the chance they may very well be recalled for the European Championship.
“In that case, I expect the boys to take this issue seriously and understand what it means for people when they are publicly insulted or discriminated against in such a way,” Rangnick stated.
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Grüll, Burgstaller and Hedl have been amongst 5 Rapid Vienna gamers banned by the Austrian Bundesliga for a number of video games final week due to the homophobic chanting, as have been Rapid managing director Steffen Hofmann and assistant coach Stefan Kulovits.
The gamers have been additionally ordered to participate in workshops on the difficulty of discrimination.
Hofmann was banned for 2 months, with one month suspended, and Kulovits was banned for 3, with one month suspended, whereas he should additionally attend a discrimination workshop.
Austria is in Group D with France, the Netherlands and a playoff winner at Euro 2024, which can be hosted by Germany from June 14-July 14.
