Mainz lose court appeal over El Ghazi wrongful dismissal
German club Mainz have lost a court appeal against a verdict for wrongful dismissal by Dutch winger Anwar El Ghazi.
The Bundesliga side terminated El Ghazi's contract in November 2023 following a series of social media posts he made about the Israel-Gaza conflict.
In July 2024, a German court ruled this to be a wrongful termination and the player's statements fell within the scope of freedom of expression.
Mainz appealed, but the Rhineland-Palatinate State Labor Court upheld its original decision on Wednesday.
"We have to accept the court's decision," said club chairman Stefan Hofmann.
"However, we stand by our position: Based on the values and convictions that define Mainz 05, the continued employment of individuals who express and behave in fundamental contradiction to these values will remain out of the question."
