Manager Markus Anfang has resigned as a result of a probe into the validity of his vaccination certificate, the football news is confirmed by the club Werder Bremen. Anfang claimed to have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccination and submitted documentation to confirm it, but the local health authority questioned the certificate’s legitimacy and launched an investigation on Thursday.
Bremen’s sporting director Frank Baumann defended Anfang on Friday, saying: “Markus told us that everything had gone smoothly and that he had received his vaccinations. There’s no need to be skeptical.” On the other hand, Health officials were not convinced and continued their investigation; while the findings have not been made public, Bremen revealed early on Saturday that Anfang had sought to resign from his position.
“Due to the extremely stressful situation for the club, the team, my family and myself, I have decided that I will end my job as Werder Bremen’s head coach with immediate effect,” he said in a statement. “I have therefore asked those in charge to terminate my contract immediately, and they have granted this request.”
Anfang leaves alongside assistant Florian Junge, just hours before Werder are scheduled to take on Schalke. “With their actions, Markus and Florain have accepted responsibility and thus contributed to ending the unrest that has risen around the club and the team in the last few days,” Baumann said. “We respect their decision and will now start looking for a new head coach.”
Anfang continues to deny the allegations and insisted that his vaccine was legitimate before his departure. “In a personal conversation with the management, Markus Anfang firmly rejected the allegations and emphatically assured him that he was fully vaccinated and that he had not used a forged vaccination certificate,” a Werder statement read.
Anfang himself added: “Just like every other double-vaccinated citizen, I received my two vaccinations at an official vaccination centre and received the appropriate sticker in the yellow vaccination certificate. I then had it digitised in the pharmacy and naturally assumed that everything was in order. I very much hope that the subject will be cleared up quickly.”
