Hamburger SV – having been compelled to issue a statement in the matter of former board-member-for-sport Stefan Kuntz– have done so. One day after Kuntz addressed his surprise resignation at the beginning of the month by publishing a denial of sexual harassment charges on his instagram feed, the Bundesliga outfit responded by confirming that such allegations were indeed leveled against Kuntz.
The HSV supervisory board issued a statement explaining the circumstances that led to Kuntz’s resignation. The statement does not officially address the nature of the claims, but does note that the club found them to be “credible”. The HSV board’s statement also emphatically denied that any attempt to deliberately tarnish Kuntz’s reputation was made.
The official Hamburger SV statement
“In December 2025, allegations of serious misconduct by Stefan Kuntz were brought to the attention of the supervisory board,” the statement begins. “The supervisory board immediately initiated an investigation into the incidents with the support of specialized external lawyers. After careful examination and the realization that the allegations are credible, the supervisory board immediately decided to seek the fastest possible separation from the board member.“
“Under these circumstances, Stefan Kuntz agreed to the separation on December 31st, 2025,” the statement continues. “[Kuntz] was represented by a lawyer. Despite several offers, Mr. Kuntz repeatedly declined the opportunity to comment on the matter to the supervisory board. Accusations [that the club] has engaged in a smear campaign against Kuntz are clearly inaccurate and misleading.“
“HSV does not tolerate misconduct of the kind in question here and is firmly committed to the values of tolerance and respect laid down in its statutes,” the statement concludes, “The club also opposes discrimination of any kind. It was important to the supervisory board to act quickly and consistently in this case. As always, protecting the personal rights of the individuals involved is a top priority for HSV.”
