Sania Mirza Backs Mesut Ozil Against Racism

Sania Mirza on Monday showed support for German football star Mesut Ozil, who announced his retirement from international football on Sunday in what stood out to be a move against racism. Ozil said that he was quitting the German national football team, citing 'racism' in criticism about his role in the side's World Cup debacle. "It is with a heavy heart and after much consideration that because of recent events, I will no longer be playing for Germany at international level whilst I have this feeling of racism and disrespect," the Arsenal player had tweeted. Sania, in her support to Ozil, said, "This is the saddest thing to read as a an athlete, and more importantly as a human being.. you are right bout one thing @MesutOzil1088 racism should not and will not be accepted under any circumstance.. sad if all this is true.."

This is the saddest thing to read as a an athlete , and more importantly as a human being .. you are right bout one thing @MesutOzil1088 racism should not and will not be accepted under any circumstance.. sad if all this is true .. https://t.co/d1MYyYoDYY

— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) July 23, 2018

Ozil, who has Turkish roots, had earlier defended his decision to pose for a photograph with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in May which sparked questions about his loyalty to Germany's squad ahead of the World Cup in Russia.

In a three-part statement on Twitter sent over the course of the day, an angry Ozil saved his bombshell for the final salvo. In it, the Arsenal midfielder blamed the German Football Federation (DFB) for failing to defend him against his most strident critics.

"Arguably the issue that has frustrated me the most over the past couple of months has been the mistreatment from the DFB, and in particular the DFB President Richard Grindel," he said.

He said that Grindel and Germany coach Joachim Loew had asked him to give a "joint statement to end all the talk and set the record straight" over the picture with Erdogan.

"Whilst I attempted to explain to Grindel my heritage, ancestry and therefore reasoning behind the photo, he was far more interested in speaking about his own political views and belittling my opinion."

Ozil said he had been unfairly blamed in Germany for the side's shock first-round defeat at the World Cup.

Topics mentioned in this article

Sania Mirza Mesut Ozil Germany Football