Lena Oberdorf Denounces Sexist Abuse Against Referee Fabienne Michel

The German national footballer calls for more respectful behavior after sexist insults were directed at Michel during a Drittliga match, prompting a DFB investigation.

• Referee Fabienne Michel faced sexist abuse from Rot-Weiss Essen fans during a Drittliga match against SC Verl on March 28, 2025.
• The abuse reportedly followed a referee error that led to SC Verl's opening goal in a 3-0 victory over Rot-Weiss Essen.
• The Deutscher Fußball-Bund (DFB) has launched an investigation into the incident to address the allegations of sexist remarks.
• Lena Oberdorf, a German national team midfielder, expressed her dismay at the abuse, questioning whether anger in football could be expressed more constructively in the modern era.
• Oberdorf highlighted gendered double standards in football, noting that male referees would likely face different forms of criticism compared to female officials.

4 Articles

Der Tagesspiegel Stern Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung Sächsische Zeitung