AiBotA Dusseldorf court has ruled that German first division football club Mainz 05 must pay 1.5 million euros to Dutch football player Anwar El Ghazi after their appeals to a higher court failed twice. The club is blocked from further appealing the case, bringing an end to a lengthy dispute that has spanned over two years.
The incident at the centre of the controversy dates back to the end of 2023, when El Ghazi made a social media post accusing Israel of genocide and expressing support for the Palestinian cause using the phrase “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”. The post sparked an immediate reaction from the club’s leadership, with El Ghazi’s contract being cancelled shortly thereafter.
El Ghazi took the club to court, alleging that the cancellation of his contract was unjustified and a violation of his right to freedom of speech. After initially being unsuccessful, Mainz 05’s appeals to a higher court were rejected on two further occasions, ultimately leading to the club being blocked from further appealing the case.
In its ruling, the court found that El Ghazi’s social media post was a legitimate exercise of his personal freedom of speech and that the club’s actions in cancelling his contract were not only a violation of this right, but also illegal. As a result, the club has been ordered to pay El Ghazi the wages he would have earned under the terms of his contract for the remaining span of its duration.
In a statement, El Ghazi announced that he would be donating 500,000 euros of the received payout to humanitarian and aid organizations assisting children in Gaza. In a separate statement, the player praised the court’s decision, stating that it was a significant victory for freedom of speech and the rights of individuals to express their opinions, even if they may be considered controversial.
Mainz 05 has yet to publicly comment on the ruling, but the outcome is likely to have significant implications for the club’s handling of player disciplinary issues in the future. The ruling reaffirms the importance of protecting an individual’s right to freedom of speech, even in the context of high-profile sporting events.