FRANKFURT: German football federation president Fritz Keller has apologised for comparing vice-president Rainer Koch of behaving like “a Nazi-era judge.

Keller called Koch a “Freisler.” He was referring to Roland Freisler, president of the main Nazi tribunal from 1942 to 1945 who was responsible for 2,600 arbitrary death sentences. Koch happens to be a magistrate.

The DFB supremo backtracked on Monday, saying: “Sometimes during controversies words are used that should not be.

“I have presented my apologies personally and in writing to Rainer Koch, who was kind enough to accept them, my comparison was totally inappropriate especially with regard to the victims of National Socialism, which I deeply regret .”

Friedrich Curtius, the DFB general secretary, is reportedly considering bringing the case before the ethics committee of the governing body in which is leaders have been at odds for months.

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