Antonio Rudiger, the Real Madrid player, responded to accusations of extremism and terrorism with all force, stressing that all he did was practice the rituals of the Islamic religion without harming anyone.
One of the journalists attacked Rüdiger because of a picture he published on the prayer rug, making the sign of monotheism and congratulating his followers on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan.
In reaction, Rüdiger and the German Football Association filed a lawsuit against the journalist, accusing him of racism because of what he said.
Rudiger came out with an official statement talking about the matter, and said, “In the past few days, the image has been used by individuals to make baseless accusations.”
He also added, “It is a sign of monotheism and is considered a symbol of the oneness and uniqueness of God, and it is widely spread among Muslims all over the world.”
He continued, “This signal has been classified as not representing a problem by the Ministry of Interior.”
He concluded, “As a devout Muslim, I practice my religion, but I firmly distance myself from any kind of extremism and accusations of political Islam. Likewise, I will not allow myself to be insulted and defamed as an Islamist. That is why I decided to press charges.”
