After the resignation of Özil, the debate on continued integration | TIME ONLINE

Berlin (dpa) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rebadured Mesut Özil after his resignation from the German National Football Team, according to media reports.

"A racist attitude towards a young man who gave so much to the German national team and contributed to his success" is not to accept, said Tuesday [Erdogan] the agency Anadolu. Meanwhile, the pressure on the German Football Association (DFB), especially its president Reinhard Grindel.

The criticism came from the Bundestag Sports Committee. "I believe that the management of the crisis of the DFB was sub-optimal in the specific case," said committee chairman Dagmar Freitag ( SPD ) Bavarian radio. "It could have been done differently and better with many different adjustments."

Özil denounced racist experiences in his resignation and criticized, among others, the officials of DFB for not respecting his Turkish roots.

Erdogan said during his telephone conversation with the footballer, with a phrase that he frequently used, that Özil had made the acquaintance of Turkey. Özil's statement and attitude are perfectly "regional and national," Erdogan told reporters in Ankara. "I kiss his eyes." Racism against Ozil is unacceptable. Shortly after Özil's resignation on Sunday night, Turkish politicians hailed the player's footsteps.

The Turkish community in Germany criticized the footballer for his image with Erdogan. "Using a photo for the political regime in Turkey, which ignores and flouts human rights, was and is a mistake," said President Gökay Sofuoglu. But this photo is no longer for a long time. Özil would be denied German and belonging to his country. "It's the real scandal of all this debate."

Özil and his teammate Ilkay Gündogan were photographed before the World Cup and in the Turkish election campaign with Erdogan. The images drew a fierce criticism in Germany. Among other things, observers accuse the Turkish government of putting pressure on the opposition and the media.

Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) called for the fight against xenophobia in the debate on integration triggered by the resignation of Özil. "Whatever the case Özil is very clear: we must oppose any form of racism and xenophobia very determined," Maas told the newspapers of the press group Funke (Wednesday). "It is incumbent upon us all to defend the values ​​that constitute our country: tolerance, diversity and freedom".

AFD's parliamentary group foreign policy spokesman Armin-Paulus Hampel said footballers like Özil should be almost grateful: "nothing could have made the football team happy. more convincing integration ". The institution of dual nationality had failed, Hampel said. Özil's chest could not beat two hearts. "Decisions are necessary, but no dual nationality!"

Integration Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Joachim Stamp (FDP), called for greater involvement of migrants. "We also need more young people with a track record of immigration in the public service," Stamp told AFP on Tuesday "Morgenmagazin". "We need a big debate on the subject, and I think it's an opportunity if we get it now." Özil was born in Gelsenkirchen and comes from North Rhine-Westphalia.

Since the spectacular withdrawal of Özil, the president of the DFB Grindel has not yet spoken. The politician of the CDU had been personally attacked by the midfielder and qualified as incompetent.

According to a survey conducted by the information portal t-online.de, almost one in two Germans is in favor of Grindel's resignation. When asked if he was to resign, 49.7% of the 5,569 respondents answered "yes, definitely" or "rather yes." Only 36.6% are against and say "rather no" or "No, not average".