By Ayhan Simsek
BERLIN (AA) – German Football Association (DFB) President Reinhard Grindel has admitted he failed to give a strong support to Turkish-German footballer Mesut Ozil, who faced a racist propaganda before and after the 2018 World Cup.
In a statement on Thursday, Grindel said he regretted that Ozil's meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in May, and his criticism of Ozil over that meeting, had been used for racist slogans.
“Looking back, as president I should have been unequivocally clear about something that is a given for me as a person and for us all as an association: any form of racial hostility will not be accepted or tolerated under any circumstances,” he said.
But Grindel rejected accusations of discrimination and racism, and declined to resign.
Germany’s star player, who has Turkish origins, quitted national team on Sunday, citing discrimination and racist propaganda he faced in recent months.
Since May, Ozil was criticized by German politicians and media outlets, for meeting Turkish President Erdogan in London ahead of elections in Turkey.
Ozil defended his meeting, and stressed that a picture with the Turkish president was not about politics, but respect to his family’s country.
He also accused far-right politicians and media for using his picture with Erdogan “as an opportunity to express their previously hidden racist tendencies” ahead of June's football World Cup.
Despite hate mails, threatening phone calls, and racist comments on social media, he got no support from the DFB or its head Reinhard Grindel, he added.
