Jérôme Boateng

After trial in Munich, court date in Berlin!

LASK new signing Jérôme Boateng.

(Bild: AP)

After the game is before the game, as the saying goes in soccer. While for LASK star Jérôme Boateng it is also true: After the trial is before the trial! After the trials in Munich, which are scheduled until July 19, there will be one in Berlin on August 1. All the more reason for his advisor to demand: "Give him a chance in Linz!" 

Give him a chance!"

So said an advisor to Jérôme Boateng on Friday afternoon in front of the district court in the center of Munich to the "Krone". Especially as the LASK professional is not the first fallen star: Uli Hoeneß went to jail in Germany for tax fraud, Boris Becker in England for concealing assets and Robinho in Brazil for gang rape.

Fallen sports stars 

Lionel Messi in Spain and Diego Maradona in Argentina only just managed to avoid it. In contrast, ex-Sturm boss Hannes Kartnig and ex-team striker Sanel Kuljic served time in Germany. In Germany, Marco Reus drove without a driver's license, Kevin Großkreutz peed in a hotel lobby and Jens Lehmann, another former DFB team player, broke into a garage with a chainsaw. In Italy, Mario Balotelli even broke into a women's prison! And it's not always just men: former tennis star Martina Hingis was banned for two years for cocaine!

Which begs the question: to what extent are many professionals actually good role models?

A controversial role model
Especially as they often do not (or cannot) fulfill the role assigned to them, even in terms of health, as their profession is often also a form of physical abuse. And speaking of bodies: when Novak Djoković and Joshua Kimmich refused the Covid vaccination in 2020, they were also denied their role model function as athletes. An attempt was made to impose this on both of them, along with the height of the moral bar, even though Kimmich, for example, is paid to play soccer and not for his private behavior. Just like Boateng!

His often toxic relationships have generally revolved around violence. The former world champion and two-time Champions League winner admitted this at the Munich district court, but vehemently denies that he ever actively practiced it against women. On the contrary: Boateng sees himself as a victim! This is in stark contradiction to witness testimony, even though his defence lawyer often plays down even the most serious accusations in the trial, which is scheduled to run until 19 July in Munich.

Suicide case catches up with Boateng

Before the Berlin Court of Appeal has to deal with another Boateng case on August 1. The appeal proceedings in the case concerning his ex-girlfriend Kasia Lenhardt, who died in 2021. Her family has filed a lawsuit against the 35-year-old. Which must make it seem like the negative headlines will never stop, and not just for LASK. All the more reason for Boateng's advisor to ask: "Give him a chance!"