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."
A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 25, 2019, with the headline ''Best in the world' Messi nets his 50th hat-trick'. Print Edition | Subscribe
'Best in the world' Messi nets his 50th hat-trick
Manchester City net two late goals to register a dramatic 3-2 victory over Schalke 04 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie in Germany. However, Leroy Sane came off the bench to
Champions League: Leroy Sané haunts Schalke as City stage
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has an incredible relationship with Manchester United's players, according to midfielder Ander Herrera, although the 29-year-old also insists Jose Mourinho made him a better
Why Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could keep the Man Utd job
Gianni Infantino was re-elected as president of the football governing body FIFA for a four-year term until 2023. The 49-year-old Swiss national was elected by acclamation as the sole candidate at
Ake strikes late to sink nine-man Tottenham Hotspur Nine-man Tottenham Hotspur's bid for Champions League football was rocked on Saturday after Nathan Ake's last-gasp winner punished red cards
Football: Bournemouth's Nathan Ake strikes late to sink nine
EUROPEAN FOOTBALL Liverpool coach Klopp condemns 'disgusting' Salah abuse ahead of Chelsea clash A video circulated on social media ahead of Chelsea's Europa League match at Slavia Prague showed
Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp condemns 'disgusting' Mohamed Salah
Football: Man City inflict more pain on Man United to go back on top Manchester City's Leroy Sane celebrates scoring their second goal with Oleksandr Zinchenko and his team mates. PHOTO: REUTERS
Man City inflict more pain on Man Utd to go back top - Daily
Chelsea make Cesc Fabregas wait to complete Monaco move as they search for midfield replacement with Nicolo Barella and Leandro Paredes targeted
In the dying minutes of Iran´s 3-0 defeat to Japan on Monday, striker Sardar Azmoun slapped Japan midfielder Gaku Shibasaki in the face, sparking a melee that also involved his teammates Ehsan
Call in Iran for footballers to be punished over Japan melee
Daylight Dies - Lost to the Living review: Hearing this album is like walking through a gallery of abandoned marble statues. Lovingly chiseled, such works no doubt invoke an air of stateliness and rich, ever-growing age. Static and majestic, the statues tower over the emptiness around their domain, ever commanding, ever dominant.
Victorians Flashcards - Flashcard Machine - Create, Study and
Liverpool's Klopp avoids title talk despite Arsenal rout. Klopp said he was wary of falling into the trap of talking up his team's chances with 18 games of the 38-match campaign remaining.
Liverpool's Klopp avoids title talk despite Arsenal rout
asianewstoday.com/blog/liverpools-klopp-avoids-title-talk-despite-arsenal-rout/
Tiring of media questions about the title race, Klopp said he was wary of falling into the trap of talking up his team's chances with 18 games of the 38-match campaign remaining. "I'm not the smartest person in the world but I'm really not an idiot. It's not important how many points you are ahead in December…
Klopp avoids title talk despite Arsenal rout | Radio NewsHub
Klopp calm for the run-in. Liverpool forward Sadio Mane scoring an audacious back-heeled goal past Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster in the leaders' 5-0 Premier League victory at Anfield on Wednesday.
Klopp calm for the run-in - theworldnews.net
Welcome to the official Tottenham Hotspur website. Explore the site, discover the latest Spurs news & matches and check out our new stadium.
watch champions league soccer live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming bola
watch premier league stream reddit
watch champions league live streaming kenya
watch premier league live streaming youtube
watch coppa america live streaming xfinity
watch champions league live streaming match
tv soccer live stream sky
watch coppa america live streaming hd
watch champions league final live streaming online
watch premier league live streaming jamaica
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online youtube
watch coppa america live streaming world
watch live soccer game barcelona vs real madrid
watch soccer live streaming kenya vs ethiopia
www.watch premier league live stream.com
watch premier league darts live stream
watch the champions league live stream
watch champions league live streaming live
watch soccer online free live streaming livetv ru
watch soccer live streaming juventus
watch soccer live streaming zee tv
watch coppa america live streaming game
watch real madrid vs juventus live streaming of champions league
watch english premier league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming indonesia
watch champions league final live streaming
watch live soccer stream android
watch soccer game live now
watch coppa america live streaming qatar
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online reddit
watch soccer am live stream
watch coppa america live streaming mexico
watch coppa america live streaming live free
watch epl live streaming free no sign up
watch tamil nadu premier league live streaming
super soccer tv live streaming indonesia
watch live premier league football streaming online for free iraqgoals
watch champions league draw live stream total sportek
watch afghanistan premier league live stream
watch premier league live streaming online - soccer portal
watch coppa america live streaming totalsportek
watch karnataka premier league live streaming
watch soccer live streaming hd
watch soccer live streaming xbox one
watch soccer games online free streaming live
watch soccer online free streaming live uk
watch coppa america live streaming canada
watch champions league live streaming xbox
watch coppa america live streaming juventus
watch champions league live streaming now
watch champions league live streaming vk
watch coppa america live streaming australia
watch soccer online free streaming live english
soccer tv live football streaming portugal
watch coppa america live streaming indosiar
watch coppa america live streaming youtube
watch coppa america live streaming dailymotion
watch soccer games live stream free
watch coppa america live streaming app
cpl 2018 live streaming watch caribbean premier league t20 2018
watch champions league final online free live streaming
watch soccer online free live streaming hd
watch coppa america live streaming reddit
watch soccer live streaming zimbabwe
watch soccer online free streaming live arabic
watch coppa america live streaming direct
watch soccer live streaming juventus vs manchester united
watch coppa america live streaming tv
watch coppa america live streaming sctv
watch live premier league football streaming online for free
watch live streaming soccer world cup
watch soccer online free streaming live first row
watch premier league live streaming xfinity
super soccer tv live streaming persib
watch live english premier league online free streaming
watch coppa america live streaming twitch
watch coppa america live streaming ufc
watch soccer online free streaming live iphone
watch premier league live streaming qatar
watch soccer game live espn
watch soccer live stream links
watch soccer live streaming mobile
watch premier league live streaming juventus vs manchester united
watch soccer live streaming xfinity
watch coppa america live streaming video
watch soccer online free streaming live no registration
watch premier league net live manchester united stream channel
watch coppa america live streaming live
watch premier league live streaming vk
watch uefa champions league quarter final draw live streaming
free live football streams watch live streaming tv premier league
watch us soccer live stream
watch soccer online free streaming live
watch coppa america live streaming spain
watch champions league live streaming bein sport
watch coppa america live streaming pc
watch champions league live streaming cricfree
watch coppa america live streaming juventus vs manchester united
watch premier league live streaming zee tv
watch premier league live streaming online
watch soccer online free streaming live world cup
watch coppa america live streaming nz
watch coppa america live streaming in india
watch uefa champions league draw live streaming free online
watch soccer live football streaming - ronaldo7.net
watch coppa america live streaming india
watch champions league live streaming canada
watch champions league live streaming vf
watch coppa america live streaming india vs england
watch coppa america live streaming philippines
watch sky sports premier league live streaming
watch iceland soccer live stream
watch english premier league live streaming online
where to watch free live soccer streaming online
watch soccer online free streaming live canada
watch champions league live streaming crictime
watch coppa america live streaming rcti
watch coppa america live streaming free online
watch champions league draw live streaming
watch english premier league live streaming hd
free watch champions league live streaming
watch champions league live streaming live free
super soccer tv live streaming piala dunia
watch champions league live streaming zee5
watch soccer live streaming xbox
watch coppa america live streaming xbox one
watch epl live streaming on iphone
watch champions league live streaming now free
soccer tv live net stream
watch soccer live stream app
watch coppa america live streaming online free
#goodday #manchestercity #visubal #transfernews #noelgallagher #insegreto #soccer #livestreams #crossfit #Barca #golf #lionelmessi #comico #hotcoffee #nutmeg #freekickerz #soccermemes #londoncity #arsenalfantv #bayernmunich #chocolatecoffee #fut #romania #cristiano #soccerbible #winner #realmadridcf #bestshishacafedubai #villarealcf #commentimemorabili #coyg #mensnightout #ignoranza #mane #streamingbolaid #conference #football #vip #zidane #freekicks #realmadrid #serieatim #league2 #risate #livestreaming #acmilan #mancity #Liverpool #juventus #alissonbecker #ronaldo #neymar #ucl #Suarez #433skills #MyDubai #satira #lfc #Sunday #manchesterunited #sunderlandafc #manunited #coys #thomasmeunier #Vip45 #PartyTime #liverpool #football #frasitrap #seriea #rockstar #beatifulgame #lovefootball #Celtic #championship #petercrouch #frasirap #commento #barcelona #paulmcartney #bayervshoffenheim #knuckleball #kopisusu #nikesoccer #arsenal #comics #calciatoribrutti #afcnews #henderson #arsenalnews #cappucino
No comments:
Post a Comment