Arsenal accused of discriminating against Ozil in open letter from Turkish Cypriot leaders

Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil has emerged as somewhat of a controversial figure at the Emirates, particularly since last season. The German maestro, who has been quite vocal about geopolitical issues concerning a particular community, saw himself being excluded from the squad for the Premier League as well as the Europa League. Now, The Council of Turkish Cypriot Associations has expressed its concerns about the discriminatory behaviour being meted out to the Gunners outcast. 

Also Read | Arsenal fans ask for Mesut Ozil's Arsenal return after midfielder's latest workout video

Mesut Ozil being discriminated: Council of Turkish Cypriot Associations

The Council of Turkish Cypriot Associations has written an open letter to Arsenal, blaming the club for discriminating against Ozil. The letter also slams the Premier League heavyweights for "overtly discriminating against our community". Notably, the organisation represents the 300,000-strong Turkish Cypriot population residing in the UK. 

Chairman of the organisation, Ertugrul Mehmet, has blamed the club for its discriminatory behaviour against Ozil as compared to other non-British players for standing up against injustice. The letter claims the club distanced themselves from Ozil's comments on the plight of the Uighur community in China. 

Also Read | Mesut Ozil CAUGHT speeding at 97MPH in Mercedes G-Class 4x4, blames 'concentration lapse'

Letter slams Arsenal's contrasting opinions 

The letter goes on to state that Arsenal did not take any action against Hector Bellerin when the defender urged the people to vote in the UK general election under a 'cuss' hashtag directed at British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Arsenal also came out in support of striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang when he spoke out against police brutality in Nigeria. 

The chairman also went on to warn the Emirates-based outfit that they could end up destroying their relationship with the Turkish fan base in north London. The letter explicitly mentions the club are particularly discriminating against their community, citing its recent stand on some major issues.

Also Read | Arsenal outcast Mesut Ozil joins US venture capital firm as strategic advisor

Why is Mesut Ozil not playing? When does Mesut Ozil's contract end?

Ozil hasn't played a competitive game for the Gunners since March 7, but still pockets £350,000 a week - the most at the club. The 2014 World Cup winner is keen on seeing out his contract which ends at the end of the current season, despite falling down the pecking order under Mikel Arteta. 

Arsenal were keen on terminating his contract the previous summer and an exit option was also being pondered upon. But the midfielder continued at the club with no prospective suitors. He also refused to accept a pay cut following the club's financial crisis, forcing Arteta to exclude him from the Premier League and Europa League squad. 

Also Read | Mesut Ozil asks his followers to predict the next US president with a Twitter poll

Image courtesy: Mesut Ozil Instagram