LONDON: German football club Fortuna Dusseldorf has canceled the signing of Israeli striker Shon Weissman following a backlash over his alleged links to controversial social media posts about the war in Gaza.
The club confirmed the decision on Tuesday. In a brief statement on X it said: “We looked into Shon Weissman intensively, but ultimately decided not to sign him.”
While the club did not elaborate, German newspaper Bild reported that the decision followed an outcry by fans over Weissman’s online comments, some of which were described as “disrespectful and discriminatory.”
The player had already arrived in Dusseldorf and completed his medical checks.
News of Weissman’s planned move from Spanish side Granada sparked online protests on Monday. Critics said his posts were at odds with Fortuna’s values and “the principles the club stands for and promotes.”
