BERLIN (AFP) - Angela Merkel's chief of staff on Monday (March 18) joined the growing chorus of criticism of Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil for reportedly inviting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to his wedding this summer as his witness.
The 30-year-old Ozil, who has Turkish family roots, sparked controversy last May when he was photographed with Mr Erdogan, raising questions about the footballer's loyalty to Germany on the eve of their disastrous World Cup campaign.
After 92 appearances for Germany, including a key role in the 2014 World Cup victory, Ozil suddenly quit the national squad last July, accusing German football officials of racism.
On Sunday, Germany's top-selling tabloid Bild reported that Ozil, 30, and his fiancee Amine Gulse, 25, a former Miss Turkey and model, personally presented Mr Erdogan in Istanbul with an invitation to their wedding this summer, asking the Turkish leader to appear as the footballer's witness.
The invitation immediately drew sharp criticism in Germany, whose government has been sharply at odds with Ankara over a range of human rights questions in recent years.
Helge Braun, a politician and chief of staff to German Chancellor Merkel, told Bild it "makes one sad" that Ozil would make a such a move despite having already been sharply criticised by the German public over his first meeting with Mr Erdogan.
"The fact that this has continued will have disappointed a lot of football fans - me too!" said Braun.
Â
Â
The politician accepted Ozil's was "a private decision" which one must respect, but appealed to the footballer as a role model, especially for young Turks in Germany.
"Footballers are symbolic figures in our society, with whom people identify with much more than ministers," added Braun. "And so the question is raised: How much does someone wearing the German national jersey stand for Germany?"
Braun's comments come after German politician Cem Ozdemir, whose parents are Turkish, said on Sunday that he found it "inappropriate" for Ozil to invite the Turkish leader.
Ozil - one of the world's most popular footballers on social media with 31 million followers on his official Facebook account, 19.1 million on his Instagram account and 23.9 million on Twitter - has an obligation as a role model, added Ozdemir.
Another lawmaker, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, was equally unimpressed by his invitation to Mr Erdogan.
"The wedding is the private matter of Mesut Ozil, but he is a world star, who people look up to, so of course it's a pity from a political point of view," Lambsdorff told newspaper Welt.
Ozil has dated Gulse since 2017 and the couple announced their engagement in June 2018.
The Arsenal midfielder, a third-generation German, whipped up a political storm when he was pictured alongside Mr Erdogan last May.
Criticism intensified after the red-faced defending champions crashed out of the first round of the World Cup in Russia.
In the wake of the World Cup fiasco, Ozil announced his resignation from the national squad, saying: "I am German when we win, an immigrant when we lose."
Get more information about MAURIZIO SARRI at straitstimes.com. Blues manager Maurizio Sarri hails Higuain-Hazard partnership. Feb 4, 2019, 5:00 am Stop Jorginho and you can stop the Blues
Sarri explains the Higuain-Hazard connection at Chelsea
SAN ANTONIO - First assistant Ettore Messina will handle the Spurs coaching duties again on Sunday while coach Gregg Popovich mourns the death of his wife.
"Hurt"- A San Antonio Spurs Tribute - YouTube
Wolves deepen Cardiff's relegation plight with 2-0 win. Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Cardiff City - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - March 2, 2019
Football news - Wolves deepen Cardiff's relegation plight
Bayern Munich striker Sandro Wagner leaves for China's Tianjin Teda after receiving 'a very attractive offer' Sandro Wagner has had a limited role at Bayern Munich under Niko Kovac
Bayern forward Wagner moves to Tianjin Teda - China.org.cn
Mar 03, 2019 · David Beckham called his former team LA Galaxy his "family" and thanked Los Angeles for embracing him at the unveiling of his statue before the Major League Soccer club's season-opener on Saturday.
La galaxy david beckham on eBay | Seriously, We have EVERYTHING
AD
Arsenal and Chelsea reach Europa League semi-finals; Despite the fact that Chelsea came into the second-leg clash with Slavia Prague leading the tie 1-0, Sarri decided to field a strong side for
Jurgen Klopp to Liverpool: Boss agrees Reds deal and will sign contract on Thursday evening providing leadership and experience at a vital time for the Reds. His goal against Aston Villa was
Champions League: Liverpool better than my title-winning
Football: David Beckham salutes LA Galaxy and Los Angeles as statue unveiled David Beckham and wife Victoria posing for a photo with his statue at Dignity Health Sports Park, on March 2, 2019, in
David Beckham salutes LA Galaxy and Los Angeles as statue
LONDON, Jan 23 (Reuters) - The search for Cardiff City's new soccer star, Emiliano Sala, resumed on Wednesday 36 hours after the light aircraft he was flying on disappeared in the English Channel
Football: Search for missing Cardiff City's Emiliano Sala
(Reuters) - Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk says he voted for Manchester City's Raheem Sterling to be named PFA player of the year. Van Dijk is one of the favourites for the award after
Sterling gets Van Dijk's vote for PFA player of the year
nysepost.com/sterling-gets-van-dijks-vote-for-pfa-player-of-the-year-379084
Sterling gets Van Dijk's vote for PFA player of the year Апр 11 2019 Virgil van Dijk revealed recently that he voted for Raheem Sterling , his biggest rival for the individual award this season.
Sterling gets Van Dijk's vote for PFA player of the year
Football: Fandi brothers Irfan and Ikhsan score again for BG
Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish heroically scored the winning goal after he was attacked by a pitch invader during the Aston Villa's derby clash at Birmingham. The midfielder showed incredible
Watch: Villa's Grealish has last laugh after Birmingham fan
Rangers crashed out of the Europa League on Thursday after falling 1-0 at Rapid Vienna, while crowd trouble sparked by Eintracht Frankfurt fans marred the German side's win at Lazio. Steven
Rangers out of Europa League, Eintracht fans run riot at Lazio
Napoli goalkeeper David Ospina out of hospital after head injury scare Description: Ospina played for six years with French club Nice before joining Arsenal in 2014. He arrived at Napoli last August on a one-year loan with an option to buy.
Napoli 'keeper Ospina out of hospital after head injury scare
Serie A: Napoli draw puts Juve coronation on hold. Published April 7, 2019. Kindly Share This Story. during the Italian Serie A football match between Napoli and Genoa. Photo: AFP.
Serie A: Napoli draw puts Massimiliano Allegri's Juventus
watch coppa america live streaming barcelona
watch premier league darts live stream
watch the premier league live stream
watch coppa america live streaming espn
watch soccer online free streaming live dracula
watch coppa america live streaming game
free live football streams watch live streaming tv premier league
watch champions league live streaming juventus
watch soccer live streaming zee tv
watch soccer online free streaming live youtube
watch soccer online free live streaming livetv ru
watch soccer live football streaming - ronaldo7.net
watch coppa america live streaming zee5
watch soccer am online live streaming
watch live streaming soccer games
cpl 2018 live streaming watch caribbean premier league t20 2018
watch coppa america live streaming rcti
watch coppa america live streaming india vs england
watch soccer saturday live stream
watch premier league live streaming video
watch soccer live streaming xbox
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online
watch champions league live streaming vk
watch coppa america live streaming hotstar
watch soccer online free streaming live cricfree
watch champions league online free live streaming hd
watch live soccer streaming on android
watch coppa america live streaming english
watch champions league live streaming pc
soccer tv live football streaming reddit
watch champions league live streaming manchester united
watch champions league live streaming xfinity
watch soccer online free streaming live south africa
watch champions league live streaming zee tv
watch soccer online free streaming live reddit
where to watch free live soccer streaming online
watch afghanistan premier league live stream
watch coppa america live streaming philippines
watch live english premier league online free streaming
watch premier league live streaming jamaica
watch uefa champions league draw live streaming
watch premier league stream reddit
tv soccer live stream sky
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming online free
watch coppa america live streaming mobile
watch coppa america live streaming ronaldo 7
watch uefa champions league draw live streaming free online
watch coppa america live streaming ronaldo7
watch coppa america live streaming xbox one
watch coppa america live streaming spain
watch soccer live streaming juventus vs manchester united
watch champions league live streaming bt sport
watch champions league live streaming now
watch live soccer game today
watch soccer online free streaming live uk
watch soccer live streaming qatar vs philippines
watch champions league live streaming video
watch uefa champions league live streaming sportek
watch soccer live streaming hd
watch premier league games live stream
watch coppa america live streaming canada
watch coppa america live streaming free
watch coppa america live streaming sub eng
watch us soccer live stream
watch champions league final live streaming online
watch champions league draw live streaming free
watch soccer online free streaming live without registration
watch premier league live streaming live
watch soccer live streaming mobile
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming free
watch barclays premier league live streaming online free
watch soccer world cup live streaming
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online india
watch coppa america live streaming nz
watch soccer live live football streaming cr7
watch coppa america live streaming vf
watch champions league live streaming mobile
watch champions league live streaming espn
watch coppa america live streaming vivo
watch coppa america live streaming video
how to watch soccer live streaming free
watch indian premier league live streaming
best site to watch live soccer streaming
watch live stream soccer games online free
watch coppa america live streaming yify
www.watch premier league live stream.com
watch soccer online free live streaming hd
watch everton vs tottenham live soccer streaming
watch coppa america live streaming cricfree
watch coppa america live streaming total sportek
watch champions league live streaming now free
watch soccer games live stream free app
watch live soccer online free streaming now
watch premier league live stream reddit
watch soccer live streaming qatar
watch soccer live streaming reddit
watch champions league live streaming bein sport
watch coppa america live streaming zip
watch champions league live streaming xbox
watch champions league live streaming malaysia
watch coppa america live streaming juventus
watch soccer game live espn
watch coppa america live streaming reddit
watch coppa america live streaming uk
watch soccer online free streaming live india
watch premier league live streaming live free
watch karnataka premier league live streaming
watch soccer live streaming zimbabwe
watch sky sports premier league live streaming
watch premier league live streaming juventus vs manchester united
#ucl #knuckleball #footballmeme #Liverpool #thomasmeunier #champion #BMW #arsenal #golazo #acmilan #girlsniteout #hoffenhiem #frasirap #bayern #trollfootball #league1 #panini #sixtimes #liverpoolfc #adidasslipon #footballschedule #lionelmessi #Barcelona #gym #hotcoffee #paulmcartney #soccer #championsleague #fcbarcelona #JUVENTUS #zinedinezidane #Suarez #bayervshoffenheim #neymar #kopisusu #romania #soccermemes #copaamerica #Liamgallagher #footballfans #oasisengland #rugby #nationsleague #visubal #ignoranza #comico #Barca #sumbertv #pagani #seriea
No comments:
Post a Comment