Bundesliga club condemns online sexist abuse after appointing female head coach

PoliticsSports
14 Apr 2026 • 8:10 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Bundesliga club condemns online sexist abuse after appointing female head coach

  • Marie-Louise Eta has made history by becoming the first woman to manage a men's team in one of Europe's top five football leagues, taking charge of Bundesliga side Union Berlin until the end of the season.
  • Her appointment follows the dismissal of Steffen Baumgart, and her first match is scheduled for Saturday against Wolfsburg.
  • Union Berlin has strongly defended Eta against sexist comments on social media, with the club's official accounts directly challenging discriminatory remarks.
  • Club executives, including chief Horst Heldt, have expressed full confidence in Eta and have not ruled out her remaining in the role permanently.
  • The decision has been praised as a “strong signal” for professional football and women in elite sports by Berlin's mayor Kai Wegner.

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