The chairman of Fortuna Dusseldorf has defended the club’s decision to pull out of signing Israeli player Shon Weissman following a fan backlash.
Supporters of the German Bundesliga 2 club protested over Weissman's contentious social media posts about Gaza, prompting the club to abandon their plans to sign him.
That has led to accusations of anti-Semitism, but chairman Klaus Allofs described such criticism as “absurd”.
Dusseldorf announced last week that they would not sign Weissman from Spanish team Granada despite having been in advanced negotiations.
Fans had opposed the planned signing of the 29-year-old Weissman because of his social media posts expressing support for Israel’s conduct in Gaza.
Weissman's Instagram account was set to “private” on Saturday.
In a social media post on Tuesday announcing the decision, the club did not say why it had called off the transfer.
But Fortuna issued a statement on Friday saying Weissman's “statements on social media and the subsequent handling of them were not consistent with our values”.
Chairman Allofs defended the club's decision before their match against Hannover on Saturday, but acknowledged it could have been handled better.
“I wouldn’t say it was a mistake. We tried to sign a player and I think that’s legitimate,” Allofs said.
“It’s also part of our values, that we don’t limit ourselves with prejudices and rule things out from the start.”
Allofs said the club deliberately waited to consult with Jewish community members in Dusseldorf before deciding against the signing.
Asked about claims of anti-Semitism, Allofs said: “It’s absurd, to put it bluntly.”
Weismann repsonded to the failed transfer with a statement saying he objected to being "painted as someone who promoted hate".
Israel's air and ground campaign has killed tens of thousands of people in Gaza, displaced most of the population, destroyed vast areas and pushed the territory towards famine.
The campaign is a response to the attacks of October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel, killing around 1,200 people and abducting 251 people.
Shortly after those attacks, Weissman sat out of Granada's Spanish league game at Osasuna over security concerns.
Authorities had been worried about a potentially hostile atmosphere created by Osasuna supporters angered by Weissman's social media posts.
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
ICC T20 Team of 2021
Jos Buttler, Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, David Miller, Tabraiz Shamsi, Josh Hazlewood, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mustafizur Rahman, Shaheen Afridi
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Top goalscorers in Europe
34 goals - Robert Lewandowski (68 points)
34 - Ciro Immobile (68)
31 - Cristiano Ronaldo (62)
28 - Timo Werner (56)
25 - Lionel Messi (50)
*29 - Erling Haaland (50)
23 - Romelu Lukaku (46)
23 - Jamie Vardy (46)
*NOTE: Haaland's goals for Salzburg count for 1.5 points per goal. Goals for Dortmund count for two points per goal.
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Get Out
Director: Jordan Peele
Stars: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford
Four stars
