Announcer gets the chop
German World Cup organizers have been forced to replace the ground announcer at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium after he encouraged Germany in the quarter final.
The announcer declared to the largely German crowd during the penalty shoot out,
“Ladies and Gentlemen, our team needs our support,” FIFA spokesman Markus Siegler said.
According to FIFA rules stadium announcers at World Cup matches must remain neutral.
“We have said he must stop this. This is part and parcel of the principle of fairness and this cannot be accepted,” Siegler continued.
“The local organising committee has replaced him with immediate effect.”
“He will no longer have the microphone at the stadium,” said Gerd Graus, a spokesman for the local organising committee.
“He has been the announcer at the Olympic Stadium for years but he was very excited because it was a very special match.”
Berlin’s Olympic Stadium will host the World Cup final on July 9.