Player Slammed For Auschwitz Birthday Post

Story By: Michael Leidig, Sub EditorJoseph GolderAgencyGolder’s News And Sport

An Instagram post from Bundesliga footballer Rodrigo Zalazar celebrating his birthday by posing at Auschwitz has caused a scandal. 

The Uruguayan U20 international signed a four-year contract with Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt in July 2019 but has been sent out on loan to Korona Kielce in the Ekstraklasa, the Polish top flight.

But the player caused a scandal when he posted images of himself at Auschwitz, which was built by the Nazis in occupied Poland, and covered it with emoticons to celebrate his 20th birthday on 12 August.

Pictures Credit: Golders/Rodrigo Zalazar Instagram

The SS operated the camp complex from 1940 to 1945 on the western edge of the Polish city of Auschwitz and Zalazar chose to celebrate his birthday by balancing on the tracks which people bought into the camp to their deaths.

The Auschwitz Museum asks visitors to treat the entire site with sensitive behaviour especially on the historically significant locations such as the gate or the train tracks. 

In a tweet, they commented: “There are better places to learn to walk on a balance beam.”

Midfielder Zalazar has played four games for Korona, managing around 40 minutes of playing time so far.

The picture has since been removed and he added: “I wish to apologise for the photo” in a video that the club posted on their Instagram account.

He also pledged to make a donation to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp trust.

Korona Kielce spokesman Rafal Kielczyk added: “The club made it clear to the player the significance of what he did and the significance of where he was.”

He added that the player would plan to do everything he could to show that he “did not want to damage the memory of those who were murdered in Auschwitz.”

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