Source:REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne
[Saba Sports News] In November 2023, Anwar El Ghazi was suspended by Mainz 07 for posts supporting Palestine, which the club deemed “unacceptable.” El Ghazi’s suspension was later lifted, with Mainz stating they had warned the player and that he had shown remorse. However, El Ghazi stated in subsequent posts that he did not regret his initial comments nor “distance himself” from them. Mainz subsequently terminated his contract. After Mainz terminated his contract, El Ghazi wrote on social media: “Stand for what is right, even if it means standing alone.” In July 2024, the Mainz Labor Court ruled that Mainz’s dismissal of El Ghazi was unlawful and ordered the club to pay him 1.5 million euros, equivalent to his wages from November 2023 to July 2024. Both Mainz and El Ghazi stated that this payment was made in August 2024, although a successful appeal by Mainz could potentially allow the club to recover these funds. However, on Wednesday, November 12th, the Rhineland-Palatinate State Labor Court dismissed the appeal and did not permit further appeal.