Michael Zorc on death threats against Felix Zwayer: “Disgusting”

BVB sports director Michael Zorc has commented on the death threats against referee Felix Zwayer, which he received and made public. Zwayer was heavily criticized by the Westphalians after the top-flight Bundesliga match between Dortmund and FC Bayern last December.

“I find that disgusting and in no way to be tolerated or justified,” said Zorc in the run-up to the Dortmund Cup defeat sky. “Unfortunately, things like that, to be honest, are a bit in line with the zeitgeist at the moment.”

Because recently, according to Zorc, “also with politicians and even with virologists, who simply gave their scientific opinion, which then may not suit some people”, it could be seen how much people, especially on the Internet, under the guise of anonymity were addressed.

Zorc continues: “The Internet is an anonymous forum that gives a space for such expressions of opinion and idiotic abuse.”

With a view to the criticism of Zwayer at the time after Dortmund’s defeat against the record champions, Zorc said: “We expressed our disappointment with Felix Zwayer’s performance at the time.”

Zorc: Conversation with Zwayer? “What should Bellingham say?”

A conversation between Zwayer and Bellingham, who verbally attacked the referee after the game (“You give a referee who has postponed games before, the biggest game in Germany. What do you expect?”), However, the Dortmund sports director did no sense. “What should the 18-year-old Jew Bellingham say in such a conversation,” Zorc asked. “But we as Borussia Dortmund would always be available for a conversation, that’s clear,” said Zorc.

Zwayer took a break after the game in Dortmund in early December. “Felix Zwayer wants to mentally recover and reflect on what happened after the game in Dortmund,” said referee boss Lutz Michael Fröhlich.