Berlin: German Football Federation (DFB) chief Reinhard Grindel rejected Thursday allegations of racism by now retired Mesut Ozil, but admitted that he should have done something to protect the midfielder against discriminatory abuse.
“I say this openly that the personal criticism has affected me,” Grindel said. “I am even more sorry for my colleagues, the many people working on a voluntary basis and the employees in the DFB, to be branded in connection with racism. For the federation as well as for me personally, I firmly reject this.”
The whole thing started when Ozil, who also has Turkish roots was made the scapegoat after Germany’s group stage exit from the World Cup in Russia. Unable to bear the criticism, Ozil announced his retirement from the German national team in a four-page statement and singled out Grindel with harsh words.
At the same time, Grindel said that he regretted the fact that the photos that Özil and Germany teammate Ilkay Gündogan had taken with the Turkish president had been used to fuel racist attacks and that both he and the DFB could have handled the resulting controversy better.
“In hindsight, I, as president, should have unequivocally said what for me and the association is obvious: Any form of racial hostility is intolerable,” he said.
However, Grindel is confident that DFB can move forward from the Ozil saga and their World Cup debacle and move forward for the betterment of the national team.