The German Football Association (DFB) has rejected Mesut Ozil's claims of racism which he made in a statement following his retirement from international football.
The Arsenal player quit the German team over the weekend, citing 'disrespect' and 'racial discrimination' from the DFB.
"I feel unwanted and think that what I have achieved since my international debut in 2009 has been forgotten," he said.
In response to Ozil's statement, the DFB's board met by conference call on Monday and has now issued its own lengthy statement in which it denies Ozil's claims and insists that the association is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all its players.
"The DFB would have been happy if Mesut Özil had wanted to remain part of the team on this shared basis. He decided otherwise. The DFB respects that, and for us as an association it is also necessary to respectfully deal with a well-deserved national player, that we leave some statements that are not comprehensible to us in tone and content uncommented in public.
"The fact that the DFB is associated with racism, we reject but with regard to its representatives, employees, the clubs, the performance of millions of volunteers at the base in all clear. For many years, the DFB has been heavily involved in integration work in Germany."
The statement also addresses the pictures of Ozil with Erdogan, who has been accused of violating human rights in Turkey.
"The pictures with the Turkish President Erdogan have raised questions for many people in Germany," the statement reads.
"We concede self-critically that the DFB has also made a contribution to dealing with the topic. And it is regrettable that Mesut Özil felt that he had not been sufficiently protected as a target of racist slogans against his person, as was the case with Jerome Boateng."
