EuroLeague accused of discrimination: German ref lost place because of his beard / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: IMAGO/nordphoto GmbH / Hafner-Scanpix Credit IMAGO/nordphoto GmbH / Hafner-Scanpix

German basketball referee Benjamin Barth's refusal to shave off his beard apparently cost him his place in the EuroLeague.

Barth documented the whole incident with chat logs as he hasn't been assigned to any EuroLeague from a certain point because he did not shave off his beard.

The 43-year-old told the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" and documented the incident with chat logs from the fall of 2021.

"Richard Stokes (Senior Director of Officiating of the EuroLeague) explained to me that head coaches and sports directors don't like beards and would complain about it," Barth said.

According to the report, the German referee refused to shave off his beard even after being asked several times.

"I don't understand what this is about. What difference does it make if I shave or not? It's a form of discrimination. As much as I would like to officiate in the Euroleague, I can't accept that," said the Munich native, explaining his decision.

From then on, he no longer worked in Europe's top basketball club league.

Barth, who was one of the referees at the Bundesliga final tournament in June 2020, called in lawyers and threatened the league to go public.

The German says he is now no longer concerned about himself but more about making sure that there would be no such incidents in the future.

"Whether the organization really changes, you have to see," Berth said. "But it is important that the public knows about this process."

After this article was published, EuroLeague sent a statement to BasketNews,admitting its fault and stating that such a stance was a "mistake", and the league made an apology, which Barth accepted.

"Informal requirements around facial hair and other visible body elements have been common practice in different sports for many years. However, these requirements are clearly outdated and do not respond to the values that Euroleague Basketball stands for," a statement sent toBasketNewssays. "A recommendation made that Mr. Barth should not wear a beard was a mistake, and apologies made by Euroleague Basketball in April of 2022 were accepted by him."

"Furthermore, Mr. Barth was informed that Euroleague Basketball would not apply any unfair measures in the future. Discrimination of any kind due to physical appearance is not acceptable and cannot restrict any individual from working in any field, including refereeing at the highest level."

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