Ozil registers complaint over racist tweets

Mesut Ozil’s management has registered complaints against persons unknown for racist remarks made through social network Twitter.

Ozil’s advisor Roland Eitel on Tuesday said that the move is designed to deter others from similar action. Ozil’s father said that he wants the person(s) to be identified.

Tweets in which Ozil was the target of racist statements occurred during Germany’s last Uefa Euro 2012 group game against Denmark. The user tweeted that Ozil was no real German and that the national team should only consist of players with German names.

Ozil is of Turkish descent and was born in Germany. News reports said the profile was started under the name @PiratenOnline. The name appeared to misuse the big Internet presence of Germany’s Pirates Party, which said it had nothing to do with the tweets and distanced itself from them.

(Published by New Era - June 20, 2012)