Football

German fans protest in support of Mesut Ozil

Published

8 years ago

August 1, 2018

Editor

Hundreds of German fans gathered in support for Mesut Ozil after he quit international football, citing “racism and disrespect” over his Turkish roots,National Daily gathered.

Supporters gathered in Berlin on Sunday wearing ‘I am Ozil’ T-shirts, waving Turkish and German flags in solidarity with the Arsenal midfielder.

He said last week he received hate mail and threats, and was blamed for Germany’s disappointing World Cup.

Germany’s football association “rejected” allegations of racism.

However, it said it could have done more to protect him from abuse.

Ozil, 29, was criticised after being photographed with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan in May.

In announcing his international retirement, he said: “I am German when we win, but I am an immigrant when we lose.”

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Rising Tensions Between Regulators and Airlines The financial strain has coincided with renewed friction between the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), following disputes over the remittance of statutory charges and the delivery of regulatory services. Operators say the situation reflects deeper systemic liquidity stress across the sector, where airlines are increasingly unable to meet overlapping obligations imposed by aviation agencies while maintaining operational stability. A Layered and Fragmented Tax System At the centre of industry complaints is what operators describe as a “multi-layered and excessive” taxation structure involving the NCAA, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA). Airlines such as Air Peace, Ibom Air, and United Nigeria Airlines are subject to a range of compulsory charges, including the 5% ticket levy, passenger service charges, value-added tax on tickets and aviation inputs, and other operational deductions collected at different stages of the value chain. Industry players argue that the system creates cash flow distortions because several charges are collected upfront or deducted at source, leaving airlines with reduced working capital for day-to-day operations. Beyond ticket-based deductions, carriers also face landing fees, parking charges, overflight fees, navigation levies, and ground handling costs. Combined with jet fuel, which accounts for a significant share of total operating expenses, analysts say profitability on many domestic routes has been severely constrained. 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German fans protest in support of Mesut Ozil

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German fans protest in support of Mesut Ozil

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