Anwar El Ghazi: Mainz lift suspension and impose official warning over Israel-Gaza post
- Published
Anwar El Ghazi (right) previously played for Aston Villa and Everton before joining PSV Eindhoven in August 2022
Dutch winger Anwar El Ghazi has had his suspension lifted by Mainz and given an official warning after his social media post about the Israel-Gaza conflict.
The former Aston Villa and Everton player, 28, was banned from training and matches on 17 October after a now-deleted post on social media which was perceived to be pro-Palestinian.
Sources had told BBC Sport the German club would terminate his contract.
But Mainz say they have now "opened the door for him to resume his duties".
"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 1. FSV Mainz 05 soon," said the Bundesliga club.
It is understood El Ghazi is back home in the Netherlands and it is not yet clear when or if he will return.
Mainz said El Ghazi's post "took a position on the conflict in the Middle East in a manner that wasn't tolerable for the club".
Mainz' stadium is named after founding member Eugen Salomon, a Jewish man who was stripped of his club functions by the Nazis in 1933. Salomon died in the Holocaust in 1942.
The Holocaust, carried out by Nazi Germany during World War Two, claimed the lives of an estimated six million Jews.
The club added: "El Ghazi has since distanced himself from his post on his Instagram account, which he deleted minutes later, in multiple conversations with the club. He regrets publishing the post and was remorseful about its negative impact, especially on the club as a whole.
"The club's board made it clear to Anwar El Ghazi that employees of the club are bound to a code of values. Implicit in this code of values is a special responsibility to the state of Israel and the Jewish people, not only due to past events in German history, but also stemming from the shared history with one of FSV's founding members and member of the Jewish community, Eugen Salomon."
El Ghazi signed for Mainz on a free transfer in the summer and has played three games this season.
Writing on Instagram stories last week he said: "I condemn the killing of all innocent civilians in Palestine and Israel.
"My sympathies are with the innocent victims of this conflict irrespective of their nationality. I am committed to a peaceful and integrated Middle East region.
"To the extent my previous statements on social media have been misunderstood, I would like to make clear that I stand for peace and humanity for all."
On Monday, General Consul of Israel for South Germany Talya Lador-Fresher met with club representatives at their home stadium.
"Football clubs have a great responsibility," she said on X, formerly called Twitter.
"They serve as role models for many young people. In conversation with Mainz we talked about hatred, hate speech and anti-Semitism.
"A clear line against the massacre on 7 October 2023 is a clear line for our democratic values."
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