[ad_1]
Berlin – The German Football Association (DFB) on Monday rejected the accusations of racism by Mesut Özil who slammed the door of the national team, causing a stir in a country in the middle of a question mark. 'integration.
" We categorically reject the fact that the DFB is badociated with racism, with regard to its representatives, its employees, its clubs, the performance of millions of volunteers at the base ," says the DFB in a statement, baduring " regret " the decision of the 2014 world champion to no longer play with the Mannschaft.
The midfielder of Turkish origin, in the center of a lively controversy since a photo in May where he appears with Turkish President Tayyip Recep Erdogan, did not mince his words against the president of the DFB, Reinhard Grindel, a former Conservative MP and slayer during his political career of multiculturalism.
" In the eyes of Grindel and his supporters, I am German when we win, but I am an immigrant when we lose ," said the 29-year-old with 23 goals in 92 caps Sunday in a long letter published in three parts on social networks.
" I am still not accepted in society ", more widely denounced the player, born in the industrial basin of the Ruhr and whose father Turkish arrived at the age of 2 years in Germany.
– Merkel's support –
The midfielder can nevertheless boast of the support of Angela Merkel who had posed with him in 2010 for a symbolic handshake as the German team slowly opened up to the diversity.
" Mesut Özil is a football player who did a lot for the national team ," said a Chancellor's spokesman on Monday, "he made a decision that must to be respected ".
His English club Arsenal also expressed his solidarity by launching on Twitter: " Our diversity is a big part of why we are such a special club ".
The player, who arrived in Singapore Monday for a promotional tour with his club, appeared all smiles, obviously relieved after weeks of controversy where part of the German press, starting with the daily Bild, does not did not spare much.
The newspaper denounced Monday " a resignation made of jeremiads rambling " and reproaches him for supporting " a despot " which seeks to impose a " Islamist dictatorship ] ". Bild also attacks his level of play " lamentable " who participated in the humiliating elimination of the Mannschaft in Russia.
In the opposite extreme, the Turkish Minister of Justice, Abdulhamit Gul, praised on Twitter the " goal " of Özil " against the virus of fascism ".
Ankara and Berlin have had difficult relations since the failed coup in Turkey in 2016, with the Turkish government denouncing German accusations of repressive drift.
Neither his team-mates nor coach Joachim Löw have reacted so far.
Some newspapers and politicians, while criticizing the virulence of his approach, point out that racism is a problem in the country. Because it is a symbol of integration that starts at a time when the far right is experiencing an unprecedented boom since 1945 with the party Alternative for Germany (AfD).
– Diversity threatened –
The Berlin daily Tagesspiegel denounces him " the populist atmosphere in the country .. The departure of Mesut Özil is a sport, political and societal break ".
The President of the Turkish Community of Germany, Gökay Sofuoglu, ruled that " the diversity " of the Mannschaft was threatened while it was so far a " model ] ".
The player who has never hidden his Muslim faith has been the favorite target of the AfD for two years. A leader of this party, Alice Weidel, estimated on Monday that Özil was " a typical example of the failure of the integration of people from the Turkish-Islamic world ".
When he was pilloried for his May meeting with the Turkish president, Mesut Özil became discreet. On Sunday he explained that this meeting was not political and reflects a legacy and an attachment to Turkey.
" I have two hearts, one German and one Turkish ".
Source link
