BERLIN (Dispatches) – German club Mainz has cancelled Anwar El Ghazi’s contract after he posted a message on social media condemning the killing of Palestinians in Gaza.
The former Everton and Aston Villa forward was suspended by the Bundesliga club on 17 October, two days after he uploaded the post.
He has since deleted it and written a number of posts to clarify his position, saying: “I want to make clear that I’m standing for peace above everything. My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of all the innocent victims, and those who are still missing.”
In a social media post on Saturday he wrote: “‘Stand for what is right, even if it means standing alone.’ The loss of my livelihood is nothing when compared to the hell being unleashed on the innocent and vulnerable in Gaza.”
The 28-year-old, who also previously played for PSV Eindhoven, joined Mainz as a free agent in September and made three appearances as a substitute.