TOPIC OF THE DAY –
“Özil’s Burden: On Quitting Germany Football Team”
Mesut Özil’s withdrawal from the German football team on Sunday came as a shock to many. One of the most gifted midfielders of his generation, Özil has been a mainstay of the Die Mannschaft — as the national squad is called — for almost a decade, as his 23 goals and 40 assists from 92 appearances attest. But when he released an explosive statement, with a declaration that he could no longer wear the German shirt with “pride and excitement” because of “racism and disrespect”, it caused many a football fan to shudder. The turn of events has its roots in Özil and fellow footballer İlkay Gündoğan meeting Turkish President Recep Erdoğan in London and presenting him with shirts just before the World Cup. Both Özil and Gündoğan are Germany-born players of Turkish origin and their act was perceived as an endorsement of the Turkish leader, who is widely derided for leading his country down the path of autocracy with rampant human rights violations. Germany’s surprise first-round exit from the 2018 World Cup in Russia produced a convenient brickbat to target Özil with, and it was compounded by the vitriol directed at him. From DFB (German Football Association) president Reinhard Grindel to the legendary skipper Lothar Matthäus to sections of the media, the Arsenal playmaker spared no one as he alleged they had “disrespected his Turkish roots” and “selfishly turned [him] into political propaganda.” The episode has unravelled at a time when Germany is at a crossroads — over whether to move forward and forge a more cosmopolitan, open society or retreat into its nationalistic past. Özil, apart from his immigrant background, is a practising Muslim, and when Germany won the 2014 World Cup he was the poster boy of the DFB’s efforts to make football inclusive. That one international failure — which could be explained purely in footballing terms — can lead to such a vile debate clearly indicates the fault lines. “I am German when we win, but an immigrant when we lose,” lamented the 29-year-old. To have his loyalty questioned even after he gave up his Turkish passport in order to play for Germany must have been distressing. However, Özil has unwittingly walked into an unnecessary controversy over a sensitive issue. Meeting President Erdoğan may have been “about respecting the highest office of his family’s country”, but he should have been mindful of the fact that Germany and Turkey shared a tenuous relationship, with the Turkish President having accused Angela Merkel’s government of being stuck in Germany’s Nazi past. And when a minister in the Turkish Cabinet termed Özil’s move to quit as the “most beautiful goal against the virus of fascism”, it hit Germany where it hurt the most. When Özil said he had “two hearts, one German, one Turkish,” he was attempting a delicatebalancing act, favouring integration — a cherished modern-day value — over assimilation. Little did he expect that it would be so rough a ride.
WORDS AND MEANINGS –
Mainstay
Meaning: Someone or something on which something else is based or relies.
Example: “whitefish are the mainstay of the local industry”
Synonyms: Backbone, Anchor
Attest
Meaning: Witness or certify formally.
Example: “the witnesses must attest and sign the will in the testator’s presence”
Synonyms: Certify, Confirm
Antonyms: Disprove
Explosive
Meaning: Likely to cause an outburst of anger or controversy.
Example: “Marco’s explosive temper”
Synonyms: Fiery, Violent
Racism
Meaning: Prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior.
Example: “a programme to combat racism”
Synonyms: Intolerance
Shudder
Meaning: To shake suddenly and briefly, esp. because of an unpleasant thought or feeling.
Example: I shuddered, remembering the frightening stories I had heard.
Perceived
Meaning: Become aware or conscious of (something); come to realize or understand.
Example: “his mouth fell open as he perceived the truth”
Synonyms: Discern, Recognize
Endorsement
Meaning: The action of endorsing someone or something.
Example: “the issue of full independence received overwhelming endorsement”
Synonyms: Support, Approval
Antonyms: Opposition
Derided
Meaning: Express contempt for; ridicule.
Example: “the decision was derided by environmentalists”
Synonyms: Ridicule, Mock
Antonyms: Respect, Praise
Autocracy
Meaning: A system of government by one person with absolute power.
Synonyms: Absolutism, Autarchy
Rampant
Meaning: (especially of something unwelcome) flourishing or spreading unchecked.
Example: “political violence was rampant”
Synonyms: Uncontrolled, Unrestrained
Brickbat
Meaning: A critical remark or comment.
Example: “the plaudits were beginning to outnumber the brickbats”
Vitriol
Meaning: Bitter criticism or malice.
Example: “her mother’s sudden gush of fury and vitriol”
Unravelled
Meaning: Become undone.
Example: “part of the crew neck had unravelled”
Synonyms: Fail, Collapse
Antonyms: Succeed
Forge
Meaning: To make an illegal copy of something in order to deceive.
Example: A number of forged works of art have been sold as genuine.
Cosmopolitan
Meaning: Someone who has experience of many different parts of the world.
Example: Lisa is a real cosmopolitan.
Vile
Meaning: Extremely unpleasant.
Example: “he has a vile temper”
Synonyms: Unpleasant, Bad
Antonyms: Pleasant
Lamented
Meaning: Express regret or disappointment about something.
Example: “she lamented the lack of shops in the town”
Synonyms: Deplore, Bewail
Unwittingly
Meaning: Without being aware; unintentionally.
Example: “many users unwittingly expose their personal details to strangers online”
Tenuous
Meaning: Very weak or slight.
Example: “the tenuous link between interest rates and investment”
Synonyms: Weak, Suspect
Antonyms: Strong, Substantial
Fascism
Meaning: A political system based on a very powerful leader, state control, and being extremely proud of country and race, and in which political opposition is not allowed.
Example: This year’s history syllabus covers the rise of Fascism in Europe.
Delicate
Meaning: Very fine in texture or structure; of intricate workmanship or quality.
Example: “a delicate lace shawl”
Synonyms: Fine, Elegant
Antonyms: Crude, Coarse
Cherished
Meaning: Hold (something) dear.
Example: “I cherish the letters she wrote”
Synonyms: Treasure, Prize
Antonyms: Neglect
Assimilation
Meaning: The process of taking in and fully understanding information or ideas.
Example: “the assimilation of the knowledge of the Greeks”
