BERLIN: Joshua Kimmich will be under the spotlight for Bayern Munich at rivals Moenchengladbach on Wednesday amid a fiery debate in Germany since the footballer revealed he opted not to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
The 26-year-old is set to play for Bayern in a German Cup second-round tie, but off the pitch, his decision not to get vaccinated has even drawn comment from the government in Berlin.
On Saturday, Kimmich revealed he decided against being vaccinated, despite having founded the ‘We Kick Corona” charity last year.
“It’s not that I’m a denier of the coronavirus or an opponent of vaccination,” said Kimmich, who based his decision on “personal concerns.”
The footballer’s stance drew comment from Caretaker Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, who hopes the footballer will inform himself and “let all available information about the vaccines approved in the EU sink in.”
Siebert urged Kimmich to get vaccinated because the Bayern star is “someone who is looked up to by millions” as a role model.
Kimmich appears to be in the minority among Germany’s top flight footballers.
Christian Seifert, managing director of the German Football League (DFL), has said around 94 percent of Bundesliga players are vaccinated.
Of Germany’s population of 83 million, around 66 percent are fully vaccinated, but Europe’s biggest economy is currently in the fourth wave with 10,000 new cases of the coronavirus reported Tuesday.
Since testing positive for Covid-19 last week, Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann has been giving training and matchday instructions from home where he is quarantined.
Kimmich says he may get vaccinated in the future and team-mate Thomas Mueller hopes it will be sooner rather than later.
“As a friend, it’s an absolutely acceptable decision,” said Mueller.
“As a teammate, and if you also look a little at what might be better for everyone... my opinion is perhaps that the vaccination would be better.”
On Monday, Bayern president Herbert Hainer said he would be happy if Kimmich “still gets vaccinated, but there is no compulsory vaccination. One has to respect the decision.”
Kimmich has drawn plenty of criticism from medical experts.
“Joshua Kimmich is certainly a proven expert in matters of football, but not an expert in matters of vaccination and vaccines,” Thomas Mertens, chairman of Germany’s Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko), told German media.
“It is the personal decision of Kimmich and it should have stayed that way.”
There is also some support.
In a statement, Carsten Ramelow, vice president of the footballers’ union VDV, said it must be “accepted if individual players have concerns about side effects of the vaccination and therefore hold a different opinion.”
The chair of the German Ethics Council also stressed the importance of respecting Kimmich’s “private decision.”
However, the council’s chairwoman Alena Buyx told Sky “I think it’s a pity. It would be great if he would have used his platform to get better advice in order to be a role model.”
Buyx is concerned skeptics could use his statements to “cast doubt over vaccinations.”
Bayern star Kimmich sparks vaccination debate in Germany
https://arab.news/5w3hd
Bayern star Kimmich sparks vaccination debate in Germany
- On Saturday, Kimmich revealed he decided against being vaccinated, despite having founded the 'We Kick Corona" charity last year
- Bayern president Herbert Hainer said he would be happy if Kimmich "still gets vaccinated, but there is no compulsory vaccination.
Coaches Regragui and Thiaw have suffered AFCON final heartbreak
- Striker Thiaw was part of the Senegal squad that lost the 2002 AFCON final
- Full-back Regragui played in the following final, two years later, which Morocco lost 2-1 to hosts Tunisia
RABAT: Rival 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final coaches in Rabat on Sunday, Walid Regragui of Morocco and Pape Thiaw of Senegal have both experienced the heartbreak of losing a title decider as players.
Striker Thiaw was part of the Senegal squad that lost the 2002 AFCON final on penalties after a 0-0 draw with defending champions Cameroon.
Full-back Regragui played in the following final, two years later, which Morocco lost 2-1 to hosts Tunisia.
Senegal have played in two subsequent AFCON title deciders, losing to Algeria in 2019 and defeating Egypt on penalties three years later.
But before the 2025 AFCON, Morocco never progressed beyond the quarter-finals in eight attempts since finishing runners-up in Tunisia.
Regragui created history in 2022 when he coached Morocco to the World Cup semifinals, shocking Belgium, Spain and Portugal en route.
It was the first time an African or Arab nation had reached the last four in the quadrennial global showpiece.
What made the achievement more remarkable was Regragui had taken charge of the Atlas Lions just three months before the World Cup kicked off after Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic was sacked.
Morocco mocked form and tradition by topping a group including Croatia and Belgium, then eliminated Spain on penalties and Portugal before falling to France.
Based on their performances in Qatar, Morocco were overwhelming favorites to win the 2024 AFCON in the Ivory Coast.
But after cruising to the round of 16, they came unstuck against South Africa. A brilliant Teboho Mokoena goal direct from a free-kick sealed a 2-0 victory for the underdogs.
Having qualified comfortably for the 2026 World Cup, Morocco are now one victory away from ending a 50-year wait for a second AFCON title after winning the 1976 tournament in Ethiopia.
“We are considered firm favorites to win this AFCON. I read that we will win the tournament comfortably. That if we do not win our campaign will be judged a failure,” Regragui told reporters.
- ‘Lacked humility’ -
“My task, and the job of my staff and the senior players, is to keep our feet on the ground and remember why Morocco has not won the AFCON for 50 years.
“We have not won the AFCON because we lacked humility in many of the tournaments and we must not fall into that trap again.
“Morocco have progressed since that loss to South Africa. The squad has been rejuvenated. We have introduced young players while retaining the experienced core of the team.
“We came into this tournament with confidence, but nothing is guaranteed,” said the 50-year-old born in a southern suburb of Paris.
Regragui was capped 44 times by Morocco during a 14-year playing career, spent mainly in France. He had two seasons with Racing Santander in Spain and one with Moghreb Tetouan in Morocco.
Before taking charge of the Atlas Lions, his major coaching achievement was leading Wydad Casablanca to victory over Egyptian giants Al Ahly in the 2022 CAF Champions League final.
After the disappointment of losing the 2002 AFCON final, Thiaw went to the World Cup in South Korea and Japan later that year.
Senegal stunned defending champions France 1-0 in the opening match and exceeded expectations by reaching the quarter-finals, where they fell to Turkiye.
Dakar-born Thiaw scored five goals in 16 national team appearances and played for clubs in France, Switzerland, Russia and Spain before retiring in 2009.
After three seasons coaching Niarry Tally, a club bankrolled by a biscuit company, he was put in charge of the Senegal team preparing for the 2023 African Nations Championship (CHAN), a competition restricted to home-based footballers.
Thiaw unexpectedly led his country to glory, defeating hosts and favorites Algeria on penalties in the final after a goalless draw.
Now 44, he succeeded Aliou Cisse as coach of the senior national team in December 2024 and has lost just once — to Brazil in a London friendly match.
