Austria coach Rangnick drops 3 players for anti-gay chants

Austria coach Ralf Rangnick has dropped three players from the nationwide group squad for upcoming pleasant video games as a result of they took half in anti-gay chants after the Vienna derby final month.

Rapid Vienna players Marco Grüll, Guido Burgstaller and goalkeeper Niklas Hedl weren’t included in Rangnick’s group for video games in opposition to Slovakia and Turkey after they have been filmed participating within the chanting following a 3-0 win in opposition to Austria Vienna on Feb. 25.

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“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 mentioned 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 RB Leipzig coach mentioned the players’ exclusion was not everlasting, leaving open the likelihood they might 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 mentioned.

Grüll, Burgstaller and Hedl have been amongst 5 Rapid Vienna players banned by the Austrian Bundesliga for a number of video games final week due to the anti-gay chanting, as was Rapid managing director Steffen Hofmann and assistant coach Stefan Kulovits.

The players have been additionally ordered to participate in workshops on the problem of discrimination.

Hofmann was banned for two months, with one month suspended, and Kulovits was banned for three, 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 might be hosted in Germany from June 14-July 14.