Per Mertesacker: I Never Witnessed Racism Within The DFB

Former Arsenal skipper contradicts Mesut Ozil’s statements regarding the German FA…

Arsenal academy graduate Per Mertesacker poured cold water on Mesut Ozil’s criticism of the German FA after he quit the national team following their World Cup exit, Spox reports.

Ozil released a lengthy statement which shocked the world of football in which he laid bare the discriminatory behaviour he experienced from members high up in the DFB, especially after he was photoed alongside President Erdogan.

The 29-year-old, of Turkish descent, felt that picture as well Germany’s disappointing exit fuelled racial undertones to be voiced.

The playmaker was facing calls to ‘prove his loyalty’ to Germany as well as being scrutinised for not singing the national anthem – points that had little to do with football.

However, Mertesacker has stopped short of backing his long-time teammate and said he was unaware of any racism within the organisation.

“I find it incredibly sad how it all ended, how parties can live apart and quarrel. Everything has to come to an end at some point, but he would have deserved a better one,” our former skipper was quoted as saying.

“I detected no racism or discrimination within the DFB. Admittedly, in the past four years, I have not been a part of the team anymore, but I cannot imagine that something could have changed on that front.

“But these are his feelings and they have to be respected.”

It’s disappointing that Mertesacker has chosen to display such ignorance and claim that he hasn’t witnessed any racism – you’re a rich, white man.

In a position of privilege, one would imagine he’d see that Ozil isn’t afforded the same perceptions and it’s those ugly sentiments that came to the core once Germany were kicked out.