BAYERN MUNICH RULE OUT SANCTIONS FOR MAZRAOUI OVER PRO-PALESTINE POSTS

   FC Bayern Munich have confirmed that they will not sanction Moroccan defender Noussair Mazraoui following his pro-Palestine comments this week. Mazraoui put up several posts on social media on Sunday, Oct. 8th in which he published a message of support for Palestine after Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel the day before.

   Bayern responded promptly to Mazraoui’s comments, which have since been deleted, and confirmed that talks between the player and the club would be held as soon as the 25-year-old rejoined the team following the international break.

   “FC Bayern immediately contacted Noussair Mazraoui following his Instagram posts on Sunday,” read a club statement released via Germany’s largest press agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur, (DPA). “The player is currently in Africa with the Morocco national team. After his return, a detailed personal conversation with the club’s management in Munich is planned.”

   “The point is that I strive for peace and justice in this world,” Mazraoui explained his point of view through the DPA. “This means that I will always be against all kinds of terrorism, hatred and violence.”

   Bayern released an official statement on Friday after Mazraoui rejoined the team this week, and confirmed that the club had a “detailed and clarifying” conversation with the talented fullback.

   “FC Bayern and Noussair Mazraoui resolutely oppose the transfer of the Middle East conflict and its violence to Germany, which is committed to peace,” the statement read. “Hatred and violence of any kind have no place in the political culture of Germany. FC Bayern stands by Germany’s Jewish community and by Israel’s side; nothing justifies the murder of children and families.”

   “FC Bayern believes that football should unleash its power of reconciliation between different cultures, especially in the most difficult moments.” 

   Despite public outcry within Europe that the club terminate his contract, the team went on to confirm that Mazraoui will in fact remain within the FC Bayern squad, but is currently set to miss time due to an injury he sustained during the international break with the Moroccan national team. Mazraoui was seen training individually, away from the first team at the club’s training ground on Thursday.

   “Noussair Mazraoui has credibly assured us that, as a peace-loving person, he resolutely rejects terror and war and he never meant to cause any irritation with his posts,” Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen said. “FC Bayern condemns Hamas’ attack on Israel.”

   “Furthermore,” explained Noussair Mazraoui via the team’s statement, “I condemn every kind of terrorism and every terrorist organization.”

   Bayern Munich head coach Thomas Tuchel said he was very happy with the club’s statement. “I’m very happy with the club’s statement; I back it 100 percent,” said Tuchel after the club confirmed that Mazraoui will not be sanctioned over his pro-Palestine social media post. “It’s a complex matter. I’m happy about the clear statement that the club made.” 

   Tuchel confirmed that the club also had conversations with 23-year-old goalkeeper, Daniel Peretz, who is Israeli, saying, “It’s absolutely our duty to talk to him and see how he’s doing.”

   Tuchel also went on to confirm that there were no rifts among the players and within the dressing room, saying that the players kept away from religious and cultural differences. “I have big trust in the team, in the influence of the dressing room,” said Tuchel. “The locker room is away from religious and cultural differences. It is always a place where you can peacefully work towards a common goal.”

   Bayern’s decision not to suspend Mazraoui stands in contrast to the team’s league rivals Mainz, who suspended Dutch forward Anwar El Ghazi on Tuesday after he posted a Pro-Palestinian Instagram story.

   Mainz published a statement confirming the suspension in which they said, “1. FSV Mainz 05 have relieved Anwar El Ghazi of his training and match day related duties. El Ghazi took a position on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East that was deemed unacceptable by the club…”

   French club Nice also suspended Algerian defender Youcef Atal on Wednesday for a social media post about the Israel-Hamas war.

-Maher Abucheri

Twitter: @pabloikonyero

Photo: Jason Paris. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

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