German Soccer Player Punished For Not Signing Fan's Gay Pride Shirt: 'Not Signing That'

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VfL Wolfsburg, a soccer club in Germany's Bundesliga, has disciplined player Kevin Behrens after he reportedly refused to autograph a gay pride shirt and making comments toward the fan who requested his signature.

Behrens, a German forward, allegedly refused to sign a Wolfsburg shirt that featured a rainbow logo for the LGBTQ pride flag. He is also alleged to have told the fan "I won't sing that gay [crap]," according to reports. 

Reports have also indicated that Behrens has been suspended from the team, while other reports indicated that he is still participating in training sessions with the club.

The team issued a statement addressing the issues.

During an internal meeting, statements were made that were not in line with VfL Wolfsburg’s stance. The incident was immediately dealt with internally. VfL Wolfsburg stresses that it is aware of its social responsibility. The club and its employees stand for diversity and tolerance, and fundamental values, such as respect, honesty and openness, have always been firmly anchored in the club’s philosophy," the statement read.

Kevin Behrens of VfL Wolfsburg has reportedly been disciplined for not signing a gay pride shirt. (Photo by Rene Nijhuis/MB Media/Getty Images)

Behrens also apologized for the incident.

"My spontaneous comments were absolutely not OK. I would like to apologize for that. The issue was clearly discussed internally, and I ask for your understanding that I do not wish to comment further on it," Behrens said in his statement.

Wolfsburg captain Maximilian Arnold, who has worn a rainbow captain's armband for two seasons in solidarity, condemned Behrens’ comments.

"Kevin apologized for something that was definitely not good. Everyone makes mistakes. One thing is clear: Something like this should not happen again, but everyone deserves a second chance," Arnold told reporters.

With club soccer around the world on an international break, VfL Wolsburg's next game comes on October 20 at home against Werder.

Behrens joined Wolfsburg in January after playing three years at Union Berlin, another team in the Bundesliga. He made his German national team debut last fall as a substitute against the United States.

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Mark covers all sports at OutKick while keeping a close eye on the world of professional golf. He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga before earning his master's degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee. He somehow survived living in Knoxville despite ‘Rocky Top’ being his least favorite song ever written. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets including SB Nation, The Spun, and BroBible. Mark was also a writer for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2016 when the team won the World Series. He's still waiting for his championship ring to arrive. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.