Recep Tayyip Erdogan (2nd from right), President of Turkey, stands together with the Premier League soccer players Ilkay Gündogan (l), Mesut Özil (2nd from left) and Cenk Tosun (r). Turkish President Erdogan was visiting London.
(Photo: dpa)
Berlin Translation of the English Twitter statements of the German national soccer player Mesut Özil on the controversial photos with the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“The thing that has probably frustrated me the most in the past few months was the bad treatment by the DFB, and especially by the DFB President Reinhard Grindel. After my picture with President Erdogan, Joachim Löw asked me to shorten my vacation, travel to Berlin and make a joint statement in order to end all discussions and put things right. When I tried to explain my legacy, my ancestors and the reasons for the photo to Grindel, he was much more interested in talking about his own political views and disparaging my opinion …
Since the end of the World Cup, Grindel has come under great pressure because of the decisions it made before the tournament began, and rightly so. Most recently he said publicly that I should explain my actions again and blames me for the poor results in Russia, even though he told me in Berlin that it was over. I am not speaking now because of Grindel, but because I want to. I will no longer be the scapegoat for his incompetence and inability to do his job properly. I know that he wanted me out of the team after the photo and that he published his opinion on Twitter without thinking or consulting, but Joachim Löw and Oliver Bierhoff stood up for me and supported me. In the eyes of Grindel and his helpers, I am German if we win and an immigrant if we lose …
Are there criteria to be a full German that I don’t meet? My friends Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose are never referred to as German-Poles, so why am I German-Turkish? Is it because it’s Turkey? Is it because I am a Muslim? I think this is an important matter. By being referred to as a German-Turk, people are already distinguished who have families in more than one country. I was born and educated in Germany, so why don’t people accept that I am German? …
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To criticize and curse me about my ancestors, to cross this line is shameful, and to use discrimination as a tool for political propaganda should result in the immediate resignation of these disrespectful individuals. These people have used my picture with President Erdogan as an opportunity to express their previously hidden racist tendencies, and that is dangerous for society …
I don’t even want to discuss the hate mail, threatening phone calls and social media comments that my family and I have received. They all stand for a Germany of the past, a Germany that is not open to new cultures, and a Germany that I am not proud of. I am confident that many proud Germans who welcome an open society will agree with me …
The treatment I received from the DFB and many others made me no longer want to wear the German national jersey. I feel unwanted and I think that what I’ve achieved since my international debut in 2009 has been forgotten. People with a racially discriminatory background should no longer be allowed to work in the largest football association in the world, which has many players from families of different origins. Attitudes like yours do not reflect the players they are supposed to represent.
With a heavy heart and after long deliberation, because of the recent events I will no longer play for Germany on an international level as long as I have this feeling of racism and disrespect. I wore the German jersey with such pride and enthusiasm, but not anymore. This decision was very difficult because I always gave everything for my teammates, the coaching staff and the good people in Germany. But when high-ranking DFB officials treat me like that, disregard my Turkish roots and use me selfishly as a means of political propaganda, then that’s enough. That’s not why I play football, and I won’t sit back and do nothing about it. Racism must never be accepted. “
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