Maccabi Haifa Captain Linked to Homophobic Christian Group
Maccabi Haifa captain Kangi Hura has revealed his close friendship with German footballer Felix Nmecha, who is linked to the homophobic Christian group Ballers in God. The group has been criticized for promoting anti-LGBTQ+ messages and anti-abortion views. Nmecha's recent goal celebration, associated with the group's campaign, has renewed controversy, prompting his club Dortmund to reiterate its commitment to diversity and equality.
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- Maccabi Haifa captain Kangi Hura is linked to Felix Nmecha and the homophobic Ballers in God group.
- Ballers in God has been criticized for homophobic and anti-abortion messages.
- Nmecha's recent goal celebration reignited controversy over his alleged affiliations.
- Dortmund reiterated its commitment to diversity and equality following the incident.
- Hura described Ballers in God as a "Christian meeting on Zoom."
Kangi Hura, captain of Israeli football club Maccabi Haifa, has revealed his close ties to Felix Nmecha, a German footballer embroiled in controversy over alleged links to a homophobic Christian organization called Ballers in God. Hura, who is experiencing a difficult season with Maccabi Haifa, stated in an interview that he and Nmecha grew up together in Manchester and are part of the "Ballers in God" movement, which he described as a "Christian meeting on Zoom."
The Ballers in God movement has faced criticism following a German investigation that exposed homophobic messages on its campaign website, "The King’s Return." The site reportedly linked to a US Christian counseling service that presented lesbianism as a sin and promoted anti-abortion views. Founded in 2015 by footballer John Bostock, the group aims to spread Christian faith through football and organizes prayer meetings for professional players.
Nmecha recently celebrated a goal with a gesture associated with "The King’s Return" campaign, reigniting controversy. He had previously faced accusations of homophobia and transphobia in 2023 when joining Dortmund, stemming from social media content. Nmecha then claimed his words were taken out of context and asserted his love for everyone. Following his recent goal celebration, Dortmund's fan and supporter department issued a strong statement against Nmecha's support for the campaign, emphasizing the need to reject discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or lifestyle, and warning against using footballers' influence to promote such messages to youth.
Dortmund clarified that all club employees are expected to uphold values of respect, equality, and diversity, and to reject all forms of discrimination.
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