In the first round of the German Cup on August 17th, Bundesliga side Mainz 05 overcame a deficit to defeat second division side Wehen Wiesbaden 3-1 after extra time to advance. Japanese midfielder Sano Kaishu, who was arrested by Tokyo police on charges of sexual assault, started the game and played until the 115th minute, proving to be a key contributor to the victory.
However, according to German tabloid Bild, Mainz supporters have not overlooked the past transgressions of Sano Kaishu despite his positive performance. The paper notes that the fight between Mainz and its supporters over the Sano Kaishu issue has reached a new stage. For the fans, it is “unacceptable” for a player like him to remain on the team, and the matter is far from resolved. Mainz hardcore fans believe it is absolutely wrong to ignore the sexual assault issue, and those affected by sexual violence cannot tolerate this situation.
In response to the fans’ strong statements, Mainz has taken a similarly firm stance. The club previously stated on its website: “The investigation against Sano Kaishu by the prosecution has ended, and the withdrawal of charges by the authorities is of utmost importance to us. We firmly oppose slander and unsubstantiated accusations, and will not hesitate to take legal action against false public accusations if necessary.”
On August 24th, Mainz will face Union Berlin at home in the opening round of the Bundesliga season. If the club cannot resolve the Sano Kaishu PR issue in the short term, fans are expected to launch a larger-scale protest at the home stadium.
This article is from a user submission and does not represent the views of Soccer News Pick. If you repost it, please indicate the source: https://www.soccernewspick.com/bundesliga/24307.html
