German football referee Pascal Kaiser has been assaulted at his home in the early hours of Sunday, 8 February, just days after he publicly proposed to his boyfriend during a high-level fixture in Cologne.
Kaiser proposed to his partner, Moritz, at FC Köln’s RheinEnergieStadion ahead of the league match between 1. FC Köln and VfL Wolfsburg. The proposal took place in front of almost 50,000 supporters and was met with widespread praise online. FC Köln shared the moment on Instagram, calling it a “special moment”, with the video becoming one of the club’s most-liked Reels, receiving more than 161,000 likes.
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However, according to French newspaper L’Équipe, Kaiser received a series of threats in the days following the proposal, some of which reportedly referenced his home address. Pascal Kaiser has said he contacted the police before the attack to report the messages, but was told there was no immediate danger.
Kaiser stated that around 20 minutes after speaking with the police, he stepped outside into his garden to smoke a cigarette when he noticed three men waiting. The men then attacked him, causing an injury to his right eye. He later shared a photo of his black eye on social media, expressing his belief that the assault was directly linked to his public proposal.
The referee has long been outspoken about his sexuality and the importance of representation in sport. Speaking previously to Schwulissimo, a prominent German LGBTQ+ news outlet, Kaiser described visibility as a personal mission. “I see this as my mission: to create visibility. To be a voice. And to encourage people who aren’t yet brave enough to speak up,” he said. “I know how lonely it can be to think you’re the only one. I want no one to have to feel that way again.”
After coming out publicly to the German press, Pascal Kaiser said he felt more confident on the pitch. “Since coming out, I’ve been much more open. I don’t hide anything anymore, and that makes me stronger, not weaker. We have to dare to be fully present,” he explained.
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