Mainz Loses Legal Battle with El Ghazi Over Contract Termination

Bundesliga club Mainz has faced a legal setback in its battle against former player Anwar El Ghazi, as the Rhineland-Palatinate State Labour Court rejected the club’s recent appeal. The court ruled that El Ghazi, whose contract was terminated at the end of 2023 due to contentious pro-Palestine statements made on social media, is entitled to receive his full salary, reaffirming a previous ruling from July 2024. The court underscored that El Ghazi’s right to freedom of expression outweighed the club’s rationale for terminating his contract.

El Ghazi received €1.5 million in compensation for salaries owed from November 2023 to July 2024, as ordered by the court in August 2024. Mainz’s attempt to reclaim this amount through an appeal was swiftly denied.

The situation escalated in October 2023 when El Ghazi publicly commented on the Israel-Gaza conflict via Instagram. He stated, “This isn’t a conflict and it’s not war. This is genocide and mass destruction and we’re witnessing it happen live. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” immediately following the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. In response, Mainz suspended him, later claiming he expressed remorse and apologized for his remarks. However, El Ghazi promptly refuted this narrative, asserting that he neither regretted nor distanced himself from his original statements. Consequently, Mainz unilaterally terminated his contract, prompting El Ghazi to file a lawsuit in a district labor court in Palatinate.

El Ghazi took to Instagram following the court’s verdict, stating, “Another day, another hearing, another appeal, but still the same old outcome; a loss for FSV Mainz 05. Regular defeats on the football pitch clearly aren’t enough for the board of the club, so they keep coming back for more losses in the German courts!”

He continued, “I am grateful to the German courts for serving justice and seeing through the baseless and nonsensical claims of the club. Let me be clear, the statement from the serial losers FSV Mainz 05 following their latest defeat is as deluded as their entire dealings and proceedings against me. I will never align with any organization that seeks to silence those advocating for justice and humanity. No one is above the law. Let this latest victory send a clear message to the warmongers and the misguided board members of FSV Mainz 05; you cannot, and will not, silence the voices of the Palestinians and their proponents. Viva Palestina!”

Following the court’s decision, Mainz’s chairman and CEO, Stefan Hofmann, released a statement acknowledging the ruling while asserting that the club would continue to take action against individuals whose statements and actions contradict its values. He remarked, “We must accept the court’s decision that the conduct of our employee following the heinous Hamas attack in 2023 did not constitute sufficient grounds for immediate termination. However, we stand firmly by our position: based on the values and principles that define Mainz 05, there can be no future employment for individuals whose statements or actions fundamentally contradict them.”

As for El Ghazi, he spent the 2024-25 season with Championship side Cardiff City, making 27 appearances and scoring three goals after signing a one-year contract. In the summer, he joined Al-Sailiya in the Qatar Stars League, where he is contracted until June 2027.