Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was in the wedding party as Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil got married on Friday. The German midfielder, who has Turkish roots, faced criticism ahead of last year’s World Cup after posing for photos with the nation’s leader. The furore prompted Ozil, 30, to retire from international football, citing the “racism and disrespect” he had faced in the fall-out from the row and Germany’s first-round exit from the tournament. Pictures showed Erdogan making a speech at the ceremony, which was held at a hotel on the banks of the river Bosphorus. Erdogan has been accused of violating human rights in Turkey following an attempted coup in the country in the summer of 2016.

Source: Irish Examiner June 08, 2019 10:52 UTC