Overview
- Fortuna Düsseldorf confirmed on August 5 that it would not sign Israeli forward Shon Weissman, who had already passed a medical exam and arrived in the city.
- The decision followed supporter protests over Weissman’s October 2023 social media calls for Israel to “wipe Gaza off the map” and drop “200 tons of bombs” on the territory.
- Weissman deleted the controversial posts, attributed them to emotional distress and issued a statement condemning violence against innocent people on both sides.
- German precedent includes Mainz’s 2023 dismissal of Anwar El Ghazi—later ruled unjustified by courts—and Noussair Mazraoui’s apology at Manchester United after pro-Palestinian comments.
- The episode underscores growing fan influence on European clubs as they balance players’ freedom of expression with inclusive, anti-discrimination values during the Gaza conflict.