Holstein Kiel issue statement on John Tolkin’s social media activity: “Convinced he stands with club values.” | OneFootball

Confirmation of John Tolkin’s record transfer to Holstein Kiel officially came yesterday. The 22-year-old’s move to the Bundesliga unfortunately immediately sparked controversy. Once various German press sources and fan forums began to highlight Tolkin’s previous social media likes, Kiel found themselves compelled to make a public statement on Friday.

Kiel acknowledged that the New Jersey-native attracted negative attention in the past with social media likes “related to gender identity, the corona pandemic and conspiracy theories.” The German club then proceeded to explain that the player’s opinion on such matters wasn’t unknown to them in considering Tolkin’s procurement.

“As part of John Tolkin’s signing, we spoke to the player about these issues,” the statement reads. “John has credibly explained to us in our conversations that he did not intend to hurt or offend anyone with these likes.

“John expressed his support for club values,” the statement continues. “We are therefore firmly convinced that, with the signing of John, we can welcome a player to Holstein Kiel who fits in well with us as a club from both a sporting and personal point-of-view.”

For his part, Tolkin issued a brief statement expressing regret if such past activities “offended anyone” and offered assurances that he was “not a person harbouring discriminatory thoughts.“

GGFN | Peter Weis