The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) have hit back at the German FA (DFB) in the escalating row over the meeting between Mesut Ozil and Ilkay Gundogan and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday.
Ozil, Gundogan and Everton striker Cenk Tosun, a Turkish international, met with Erdogan during his state visit to the UK, handing the president signed shirts and posing for pictures that were tweeted by Turkey’s ruling AK Parti.
DFB president Reinhard Grindel was highly critical of Ozil and Gundogan, German internationals born in Gelsenkirchen to Turkish families, for taking part in an “election campaign stunt” as Erdogan campaigns ahead of June 24 elections after which a new constitutional system will significantly enhance the president’s executive powers.
TFF president Yildrim Demiroren defended the actions of Ozil and Gundogan, saying: “It was very disturbing for me to read the tweets posted by the German Football Association president in his social media account, which includes detrimental statements about our President Mr Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“The DFB president's remarks are unacceptable.
“It is a very well-known fact that our President Mr Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as a former player, is a big football fan who has massively contributed to the progress of the game in Turkey.
“In that sense, his meeting with Germany internationals Mesut Ozil and Ilkay Gundogan as well as Turkey international striker Cenk Tosun, who are all Germany-born professional footballers with Turkish descent, is only natural.
“Footballers of any nationality will always be welcomed by our president, especially when they are the ones who want to have such a meeting.”
In a statement Gundogan, whose shirt had borne the slogan “with respect for my president”, defended his decision to be photographed with Erdogan, who has been the subject of widespread criticism from human rights organisations, particularly since a crackdown on opposition politicians and journalists following a failed military coup in July 2016.
“Should we have been disrespectful to the president of the homeland of our families?” Gundogan said. “Despite the criticism, out of respect for the office and our Turkish roots, and also as German citizens, we opted for an act of courtesy.
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“It was never our intention to make a political statement with this picture, let alone campaign [for Erdogan]. As Germany internationals, we own up to the values of the DFB and are aware of our responsibility. Football is our life, not politics.”
Germany head coach Joachim Low named both Ozil and Gundogan in his preliminary, 27-man World Cup squad earlier on Tuesday and offered a sympathetic assessment of his players’ actions.
“We told them that this has not been the best idea,” Low said. “But I am also sympathetic towards them. Two hearts sometimes beat in players with an immigrant background.
“It's not that easy, and both have said they did not want to make a political statement. Both have done a lot for integration in Germany. It will be a lesson for them.”
Grindel’s critique also appeared to have eased, saying “people make mistakes, but we must be moderate”, whilst Germany team manager Oliver Bierhoff has said that the World Cup squad would be spoken to so as to ensure no similar incidents take place at the tournament.
