Radiance News Service
Nov. 5, 2023
Dutch winger Anwar El Ghazi has had his contract terminated by Mainz 05 for a social media post in support of Palestine, the club authorities confirmed on Friday.
The footballer was earlier suspended by the Bundesliga club after a now-deleted post on social media. Although Mainz initially lifted his suspension, they immediately announced that his deal was terminated with immediate effect.
Initially, Mainz 05 said on Monday: “Given his commitment to upholding the club’s values and the remorse shown, and in keeping with the club’s culture of using mistakes as an opportunity to learn, Anwar El Ghazi will return to training and matchday-related activities with FSV Mainz 05 soon.”
However, they later confirmed that he had been terminated.
In the now-deleted Instagram post, 28-year-old El Ghazi had said, “This is not war. When one side cuts off water, food and electricity on another then it’s not war. When one side has nuclear weapons then it’s not war. When one side is getting funded with billions of dollars then it’s not war. When one side uses AI pictures to spread misinformation about another then it’s not war. When social media is censoring the content of one side and not the other then it’s not war. This isn’t a conflict and it’s not war.”
“This is genocide and mass destruction and we’re witnessing it happen live. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” he added.
While Mainz claimed to give him a second chance, El Ghazi stood by his position and denied having any regret or remorse.
El Ghazi wrote on his social media pages: “The loss of my livelihood is nothing when compared to the hell being unleashed on the innocent and vulnerable in Gaza #stopthekilling.”
Interestingly, one of the club’s founding members and its first chairman was Eugen Salomon, a Jewish man who was stripped of his club positions by the Nazis in 1933. Salomon was killed in the Holocaust in 1942, in the Auschwitz concentration camp.
