Hamburg Coach Addresses Kuntz Scandal Amidst Allegations

At a press conference on Monday, Hamburg head coach Merlin Polzin addressed the recent scandal involving former club board member for sports, Stefan Kuntz. His unexpected resignation earlier this month has been linked to allegations of sexual harassment made by club employees against the 63-year-old.

Initially, Hamburger SV and Kuntz attempted to handle the situation discreetly; however, the allegations were reported by Germany’s Sport Bild tabloid. The club had consistently declined to comment until Kuntz took to social media to deny the accusations, which compelled the club to release a statement.

Hamburg SV confirmed that credible allegations were made against Kuntz, stating that an internal investigation led to the conclusion that the claims were serious enough to necessitate a swift separation from the board member.

Polzin remarked, “Of course we’ve talked about it and it’s a topic within the team. It’s not been something explicitly brought to the fore as it remains my motto and our credo that we must focus on the things we can influence. That would be the work on the pitch and our sessions in the video room. We’ve handled this in the most professional manner possible.”