I should have done more, says German boss
– The chief of the German Football Association (DFB) yesterday rejected accusations of racism by Mesut Oezil (right), but admitted he should have done more to protect the midfielder against discriminatory abuse.
In a four-page statement announcing his decision to quit playing football for Germany on Sunday, Oezil slammed DFB boss Reinhard Grindel.
Grindel rejected the charge four days on and has not yielded to calls for him to quit.
“The personal criticism has affected me,” he said.
Berlin
“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, I firmly reject this.”
But Grindel acknowledged he should have stepped in to end the abuse against Oezil over a controversial photograph with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which led some to question the footballer’s loyalty to Germany.
“In hindsight, I should have clearly said what is obvious: any form of racist hostility is unbearable, unacceptable and cannot be tolerated.”
In Oezil’s scathing criticism, the Arsenal star said he tried to explain his “heritage, ancestry and the reasoning” behind the Erdogan photo to the DFB boss.
But Grindel was “more interested in speaking about his own political views and belittling my opinion”, said Oezil.
Meanwhile, Grindel has outlined how the DFB can move forward in the wake of the Oezil saga and the World Cup debacle after Germany crashed out in the group stages in Russia.
“Firstly, we need to take the ongoing debate on integration as an opportunity to develop our work in this area and to ask where and how we can give new impetus,” Grindel wrote.
“Second, as a consequence of the disappointing World Cup, there must be a sound analysis, from which the right conclusions are drawn in order to play enthusiastic, successful football again.
“Thirdly, we all have the common goal of winning the bid for the hosting of the European Championship 2024.” –