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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Sean Ingle at Alexander Stadium, Birmingham

‘Show the necessary respect’: German athlete Kolbe slams racist abuse of teammates

The German runner Smilla Klobe prepares for a race in the women's 800m at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, UK.
Smilla Kolbe seized the opportunity of a live microphone to urge fans to stop sending athletes racist abuse online. Photograph: Adam Vaughan/EPA

The German 800m runner Smilla Kolbe has condemned the racist abuse of some of her teammates on social media after competing in the European Athletics Championships semi-finals.

Speaking after finishing sixth behind Keely Hodgkinson, the 24-year-old made a point of extending a trackside interview to tell German TV: “I don’t want to imagine what it would be like if I wasn’t as white as I am.”

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