DOHA: Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has defended Mesut Ozil after comments made by the Gunners midfielder condemning treatment of Uighur Muslims led to a stinging backlash in China.
“Mesut Ozil has the freedom of speech like everybody else and he uses his notoriety to express his opinions which are not necessarily shared by everybody, but he has the right to do that,” Wenger told journalists in Doha on Wednesday.
“You are a human being, you have an opinion, and then when you play football you play football. You do your job first and you have to respect that.”
Ozil, a German of Turkish origin, condemned China’s crackdown on Muslim minorities in the western region of Xinjiang in a tweet last week.
In response, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV pulled its coverage of Arsenal’s Premier League game against Manchester City last weekend.
Arsenal have distanced themselves from Ozil’s comments, but Chinese state media warned that they would have “serious implications” for his club. On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo denounced China’s reaction over the matter.
“What is important is that Ozil has an individual responsibility. He does not carry the word of Arsenal Football Club, so what he says is about himself and not about Arsenal,” added Wenger, who oversaw Ozil’s arrival at the Emirates Stadium from Real Madrid in 2013.
However, the Frenchman added: “When you make a comment about your individual opinion, you accept the consequences of it.”
Wenger, now 70, is in Qatar — where this week’s Club World Cup is taking place — in his new role as FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development.
However, he continues to monitor goings-on at his old club very closely and admits to being saddened by Arsenal’s current travails.
Wenger departed in May 2018 after 22 years in charge and his successor, Unai Emery, was sacked late last month. Former player Mikel Arteta is believed to be close to becoming the next manager.
Arsenal are currently 10th in the Premier League, seven points adrift of the Champions League places.
“When I left the club was in a very strong financial position and they bought many players in between,” said Wenger of the changes at the club.
“They have not all worked out but it’s not I believe a question of time, the change can be very efficient very quickly, and it is just about the right decision-making.”
Arteta, who played for the club under Wenger and is currently Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City, is just 37 and has not yet worked as a manager in his own right.
However, Wenger believes the Spaniard has a “great future.”
“He has learned a lot in his first position as an assistant coach, and after that he will have to deal with the fact that he has no experience at that level, and he will have to be surrounded well, have a good environment at the club.
“I think the most important thing is that every club — and Arsenal especially — is built on special values, and inside the club people have to take care of that.”
Wenger defends Ozil after Uighur comments cause storm in China
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Wenger defends Ozil after Uighur comments cause storm in China
- Arsene Wenger: You are a human being, you have an opinion, and then when you play football you play football
- Ozil, a German of Turkish origin, condemned China’s crackdown on Muslim minorities in the western region of Xinjiang
Political stability at stake as Malaysia’s Najib awaits verdict in biggest 1MDB trial
- A Malaysian high court will decide on Friday whether to convict Najib of four more charges of corruption and 21 counts of money laundering involving the illegal transfer of about 2.2 billion ringgit ($539 million) from 1MDB
KUALA LUMPUR: Jailed former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak will hear a verdict on Friday in the biggest trial he faces over the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal, a ruling that could risk deepening tensions within the administration of current premier Anwar Ibrahim.
Investigators have said about $4.5 billion was allegedly stolen from 1Malaysia Development Berhad, a state fund co-founded by Najib in 2009, and that more than $1 billion allegedly made its way into his personal bank accounts. Najib, 72, last year apologized for mishandling the scandal while in office but he has consistently denied wrongdoing, saying he was misled by 1MDB officials and a fugitive financier, Jho Low, on the source of the funds. In 2020, Najib was convicted of graft and money laundering for illegally receiving funds from a 1MDB unit and began a 12-year prison sentence two years later after losing all his appeals. That sentence was later halved by a pardons board chaired by Malaysia’s king, with Najib due for release in 2028.
A Malaysian high court will decide on Friday whether to convict Najib of four more charges of corruption and 21 counts of money laundering involving the illegal transfer of about 2.2 billion ringgit ($539 million) from 1MDB.
If found guilty, he could face maximum jail terms of between 15 and 20 years on each charge, as well as a fine of up to five times the value of the alleged misappropriations.
The implementation of the penalties, however, could be stayed pending further appeals.
VERDICTS TEST GOVERNMENT STABILITY
The decision will be closely watched after another court this week dismissed a bid by Najib to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.
That ruling reignited tensions in Anwar’s ruling administration, which includes Najib’s party, the United Malays National Organization.
UMNO campaigned against Anwar in a 2022 election but joined his coalition to form a government after the poll ended in a hung parliament.
Several UMNO leaders expressed disappointment with the decision to deny Najib house arrest, saying it risked diluting the powers of Malaysia’s rulers, while others were angered by social media posts by some members of Anwar’s coalition celebrating the ruling.
Anwar this week called for all parties to handle news of the verdict with patience and wisdom, adding that it was “inappropriate to muddy the atmosphere or add tension” even if there were those who chose not to sympathize with Najib and his family. A guilty verdict for Najib on Friday could strain ties further, with some UMNO leaders already calling for the party to review its pact with Anwar or withdraw from the government altogether. An acquittal, however, may weaken Anwar, who has been under pressure to uphold his credentials as an anti-graft campaigner. Anwar has been accused by critics of betraying progressive voters and allies after prosecutors dropped some corruption charges against Najib and other UMNO figures. The premier has repeatedly said he does not interfere in court cases.
