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Dutch-Moroccan footballer Anwar El Ghazi has been reinstated by a German court after his former club Mainz 05 unfairly terminated his contract over pro-Palestine posts on social media, Dutch national broadcaster NOS reported on Friday.
The 29-year-old forward was dismissed by the Bundesliga club in November 2023 after making comments on social media about the Hamas-Israel conflict. In his post, El Ghazi wrote, «From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free».
In its ruling, the court determined that the footballer's comments did not constitute a breach of duty and that the immediate termination of his employment contract was not justified. El Ghazi is also owed approximately €1.7 million in outstanding salaries and bonuses. Mainz says it is reviewing the ruling.
Before his suspension, the German club considered El Ghazi’s comments «unacceptable» at the time and placed him on non-active status. In a statement, the club claimed that the player had shown remorse for his post. However, El Ghazi stated that the statement had been made without his knowledge. The club management was then surprised by this reaction and proceeded to terminate his contract, which was expected to run until 2025.
El Ghazi disagreed with this and filed a lawsuit against his former employer, believing he had been dismissed unfairly. It is worth noting that El Ghazi made only three appearances for the German club. He previously played for PSV, Aston Villa, Everton, Lille, and Ajax.
For the record, one of Mainz's founders was Jewish Eugen Salomon, whose club functions were taken away by the Nazis in 1933. Salomon died in a concentration camp in 1942.
