HSV Supervisory Board Addresses Allegations Against Stefan Kuntz

omidbasir- The supervisory board of Hamburger SV has once again issued a statement defending its actions in relation to former board member for sport, Stefan Kuntz. This decision comes in response to accusations made by Kuntz during an interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung.

Following Kuntz’s unexpected resignation earlier this month, it became apparent that his departure was connected to allegations of sexual harassment within his professional environment. Although Kuntz has categorically denied these claims, HSV swiftly released a statement confirming the allegations.

In the interview with SZ, Kuntz alleged that he was not informed of the allegations against him nor given a chance to defend himself. The recent statement from HSV aims to thoroughly refute these assertions.

“The misconduct was credibly reported by multiple whistleblowers, leading to independent internal investigations,” stated the HSV board. “These investigations revealed numerous serious breaches of duty that would compel any responsible supervisory board to act decisively. Labor law, along with our commitment to our employees and the defense of HSV’s values, necessitated prompt and consistent action.”

The statement further argues, “The assertion that Stefan Kuntz was unaware of the allegations and was not given the opportunity to refute them is unequivocally false. On December 18th, Stefan Kuntz was formally notified of the investigation. The following day, his legal representatives were provided with anonymized details of the witness testimonies.”

“Kuntz was offered two dates (December 22nd or 23rd) for a hearing through his lawyers. However, he and his legal team did not respond. Following his request, the HSV supervisory board suggested two additional hearing dates before December 27th, which were either postponed or canceled by Kuntz or his representatives.”

On December 27th, Kuntz communicated that he had changed legal counsel and requested a hearing date for December 29th at 11 a.m. However, on the eve of the scheduled hearing, he informed HSV’s supervisory board that he would not attend, opting instead to negotiate a termination agreement. Both he and his lawyers declined to participate in the meeting.

In the SZ interview, Kuntz indicated that his decision to forgo the hearing was based on concerns that the allegations might be made public if the hearing proceeded. He chose to prioritize discussions regarding the termination agreement. Despite this, it appears both parties had been inclined to adhere to their arrangements until information was leaked by Sport Bild, prompting Kuntz to publicly deny the allegations.

“Kuntz was indeed informed that a mutually agreed termination agreement could prevent a prolonged investigation that might attract public attention,” the board stated. “Given his awareness of the validity of the allegations, he was in a position to assess whether this approach was prudent. Accordingly, advised by several attorneys, Kuntz independently opted to finalize the termination agreement.”

Despite the leak from Sport Bild, the HSV statement clarifies that part of the agreement involved Kuntz withdrawing a criminal stalking complaint against one of his alleged accusers. The board firmly denies any merit to Kuntz’s complaint. It concludes with a stern critique of Kuntz’s public statements, noting, “Stefan Kuntz had his lawyers propose the withdrawal of his criminal complaint to ensure that the desire for a discreet separation was not undermined. We have since learned that the contents of this complaint, which we only received on December 30, are demonstrably false in part.”

The HSV supervisory board expressed regret that such public clarifications have become necessary, emphasizing the implications for all parties involved.