El Ghazi records final legal victory over Israel-Hamas posts / Photo: © ANP/AFP/File
El Ghazi records final legal victory over Israel-Hamas posts
Footballer Anwar El Ghazi has recorded a final legal victory in an unfair dismissal action against Bundesliga club Mainz in relation to social media comments made about the war in Gaza.
On Thursday, a German labour court rejected Mainz's appeal against a decision to deny leave to appeal a previous finding, exhausting all avenues for the Bundesliga club and effectively making the decision legally binding.
The court held freedom of expression outweighed the club's interests.
After the verdict was handed down, El Ghazi criticised Mainz's "ludicrous and pathetic attempts" to appeal the case on X, adding the German club "tried again and they failed again".
"Time for the deluded decision makers at Mainz to give it a rest and pay up the remainder of my contract," said El Ghazi, while pledging the money to "worthy causes supporting the children of Gaza".
Mainz suspended El Ghazi in October 2023 after the player shared posts on social media using the phrase "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free".
It is a slogan seen by some as a call for the destruction of Israel, while others say it appeals for equality for Palestinians and Israelis.
The club later issued a statement saying the player would return after "explicitly distancing himself" from the comments.
But El Ghazi disputed the claim on social media, saying "I do not regret or have any remorse for my position".
Mainz subsequently said it would terminate El Ghazi's contract with immediate effect.
In July 2024, El Ghazi won an unfair termination action against the club, entitling the two-time Netherlands representative to more than 1.5 million euros ($1.63 million), according to a report by AFP's sports subsidiary SID.
A former Aston Villa and Everton player, El Ghazi signed with Championship club Cardiff City in 2024 before moving to Qatari side Al Sailiya in 2025.
M.Walker--VC
