Footballer Anwar El Ghazi wins lawsuit against German club over contract termination due to Palestine support – Culture

Dutch striker Anwar El Ghazi’s contract with Mainz was wrongfully terminated, a German court ruled on Friday, months after he refused to remain silent about his support for Palestine.

Mainz initially suspended El Ghazi and then terminated his contract in November after he posted on social media about the situation in Gaza. However, the striker stated that he had “no remorse or remorse” about his stance.

A Mainz spokesman said Reuters that they were waiting for the written reasons for the court’s decision before deciding on any appeal.

El Ghazi had a contract with Mainz until 2025 and The athlete reported that due to the ruling, the club must continue to pay his salary for the last nine months totaling $1.85 million.

The 29-year-old, who has also played for Premier League clubs Aston Villa and Everton, was first suspended on October 17 for his first post, which he has since deleted.

However, he continued to publish posts related to the conflict, saying he could not remain silent. There was no justification for the killing of thousands of children in the Gaza Strip.

More than 38,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip since October 7, health officials say.

Mainz, which had reinstated him in the squad after his first suspension, said his comments had been met with “surprise and incomprehension” before deciding to terminate his contract.

Nujum Sports, a non-profit organization that supports El Ghazi and helped him organize a charity soccer match to raise funds for children in Gaza, called the ruling a “groundbreaking verdict.”

“We hope that clubs and professional associations will take note of this and will not continue to suppress legitimate freedom of expression by pressuring athletes to remain silent or to adopt a certain narrative and threatening to terminate their contracts,” X (formerly Twitter) said.