The news headline was one of the sort that makes you blink and read it again to make sure.
The German soccer association DFB won't allow unaccompanied refugee kids to get a club card and play soccer*. Or football as they say here. Or foozball with real people.
Card applications must be signed by a parent.
This simple rule is apparently being followed to the letter because, rumor has it, somewhere some club or official got in trouble for not adhering to it.
The refugee children in question are unaccompanied minors, not necessarily orphans, just children from crisis stricken places who ended up in Germany without parents.
Government social services officials are the legal guardians of the children, uber parents who watch over any foster families and so on.
Yet, the German soccer association Deutscher Fußballbund (DFB) refuses to allow these children to play in clubs of the organization.
Sure, the kids can get a ball and play on some rec field, but the fun ends there.
While local chapters of the DFB have at least voiced their regrets at the policy, the national organization seems to keep quiet. They know it doesn't look good.
Maybe someone should explain to them that legal guardians are included under the term parent?
Maybe they are just trying to protect the youngsters from concussions - a protection most officials who are former players probably could not enjoy.
* According to recent newspaper reports.
[Update 2/24/2016] After the outcry, steps were taken to fix this. [End update]
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