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Mainz 05 Loses Appeal Over El Ghazi Firing as Court Upholds Free-Speech Ruling

The appellate court found freedom of expression outweighed the club’s interests under German labor law.

Overview

  • Landesarbeitsgericht Rheinland-Pfalz rejected Mainz 05’s appeal on Wednesday, leaving the 2024 ruling against the summary dismissal in place.
  • Judges concluded that El Ghazi’s social-media posts fell under protected expression after a balancing of interests, making immediate termination unjustified.
  • Mainz said it accepts the decision and reiterated that people acting in fundamental contradiction to the club’s values will not be employed in the future.
  • The club stated it had already paid El Ghazi the contractually owed salary for the disputed period following the first-instance judgment.
  • Mainz dismissed speculation about missed deadlines, saying the court evaluated the posts on their substance; El Ghazi currently plays for Al-Sailiya SC in Qatar.