A player for Askö Wölfnitz has drawn the number 88 on each sock. The number is commonly used by neo-Nazis to mean “Heil Hitler”, as the letter ‘H’ is the eighth letter of the alphabet, so 88 means “HH” or “Heil Hitler”. The player is reported to have said that it is a Chinese lucky number. However other reports say that he beat his chest with his fist and then raised his arm in a Nazi salute. Austrian football bodies are considering the case.
Photo: Peter Rustia/Kleine Zeitung