He was mingling with the biggest names on the planet on Monday night. At the Ballon d'Or awards ceremony, Gerald Asamoah took the Fair Play prize on behalf of everyone in the world of football involved in initiatives for refugees. In an interview with DFB.de, the World Cup runner-up from 2002 shared his feelings from Zurich, spoke about his work with refugees, and discussed his path to Germany.
DFB: Mr Asamoah, how was the evening at the awards ceremony? What was the atmosphere like? Who were you particularly happy to meet?
Gerald Asamoah: It was a nice and formal atmosphere. I was happy to see some old faces again after a long time. It was nice to chat with them and see how the gala panned out.
DFB: What have you personally done for refugees this year? How involved were your former team Schalke 04?
Asamoah: Schalke have been very strongly involved, and I'm proud to be part of the team. The foundation "Schalke helps!" has invited refugees to matches, whilst the "Kumpelkiste" initiative has collected and distributed donated items. We've done some work abroad too, making donations to organisations where we've been playing away in the Europa League. I've trained with children from Gelsenkirchen, and we initiated the #stehtauf campaign, where we put ourselves in the centre of the public debate. Themes like tolerance and integration have been important for me and for Schalke for a few years now, so I've done what I can to combat discrimination and racism.
DFB: You picked up the FIFA Fair Play award on behalf of all organisations and foundations who assist with the integration of refugees. Do you know any organisations yourself?
Asamoah: In principle, the prize is for everyone who's done their bit for refugees. There are also several Bundesliga clubs who've helped out.
DFB: 1500 amateur clubs in Germany invite refugees to games, supported by the "1-0 to a welcome" campaign. Have you heard of it?
He was mingling with the biggest names on the planet on Monday night. At the Ballon d'Or awards ceremony, Gerald Asamoah took the Fair Play prize on behalf of everyone in the world of football involved in initiatives for refugees. In an interview with DFB.de, the World Cup runner-up from 2002 shared his feelings from Zurich, spoke about his work with refugees, and discussed his path to Germany.
DFB: Mr Asamoah, how was the evening at the awards ceremony? What was the atmosphere like? Who were you particularly happy to meet?
Gerald Asamoah: It was a nice and formal atmosphere. I was happy to see some old faces again after a long time. It was nice to chat with them and see how the gala panned out.
DFB: What have you personally done for refugees this year? How involved were your former team Schalke 04?
Asamoah: Schalke have been very strongly involved, and I'm proud to be part of the team. The foundation "Schalke helps!" has invited refugees to matches, whilst the "Kumpelkiste" initiative has collected and distributed donated items. We've done some work abroad too, making donations to organisations where we've been playing away in the Europa League. I've trained with children from Gelsenkirchen, and we initiated the #stehtauf campaign, where we put ourselves in the centre of the public debate. Themes like tolerance and integration have been important for me and for Schalke for a few years now, so I've done what I can to combat discrimination and racism.
DFB: You picked up the FIFA Fair Play award on behalf of all organisations and foundations who assist with the integration of refugees. Do you know any organisations yourself?
Asamoah: In principle, the prize is for everyone who's done their bit for refugees. There are also several Bundesliga clubs who've helped out.
DFB: 1500 amateur clubs in Germany invite refugees to games, supported by the "1-0 to a welcome" campaign. Have you heard of it?
Asamoah: Yes, I know it well and it's an important initiative. It supports and encourages integration into football teams and into the community. Projects like that are important and deserve our praise.
DFB: You were born in Mampong in Ghana, but your father fled to Germany when you were very young. Tell us a bit about your family history. How did football help you when you arrived in your new home?
Asamoah: I came to Germany when I was twelve and I didn't know much about the country before I arrived. When I got there, it obviously wasn't easy. I didn't speak the language and I needed to find some friends. In that regard, football helped a lot. I played for a team so I got to know some people, and we all had the same aim. Quite simply, I belonged. It helped me to settle down in my new home.
DFB: The events in Cologne on New Year's Eve shocked a lot of people. What's your take on them? Have they made projects harder?
Asamoah: I'm naturally horrified by what happened in Cologne. It seems important to me that we respond reasonably and don't place all migrants under suspicion.
DFB: You played 43 games for Germany between 2001 and 2006, and you were the first African-born player to play for the German national team. Was it hard for you?
Asamoah: At the time, it was a gut decision to play for Germany. I felt at home in this country. Obviously I also had some bad experiences, and I was confronted with racism at times. It pleases me to see how many players with different roots wear the German shirt nowadays. Perhaps I played a part in that, which makes me proud.
