Former German FA chief cleared over Qatar 'cancer' comment

The former president of the German Football Association (DFB) is free to repeat his comment that Qatar is "a cancer on world football", a German court ruled on Tuesday.

While the comment was indeed offensive, the court said, Theo Zwanziger was not obliged under German law to change his wording or be blocked from repeating it.

"Those criticising public abuses do not have to use the mildest possible medium to highlight their points of view," the court said in a statement.

"With respect to the sporting, financial and political importance of a football World Cup host, the purpose for the comment, which was about drawing attention to the critical working process and decision of FIFA, is set higher than the honour of the Qatar Football Association."

The ruling followed a preliminary decision to dismiss the libel lawsuit filed by the Qatari Football Association (QFA) against Zwanziger last year.

In a statement released in June 2015, Qatar's embassy in Berlin announced plans to sue Zwanziger over "unacceptable slander and degradation of [Qatari] citizens and society".

"Qatar is open to objective criticism and controversial discussions - even if criticism is not justified," the statement added.

"Freedom of expression is allowed but that does not include the right to defame and insult by using a term like 'cancerous growth'."

Zwanziger, whose four-year term on FIFA's executive committee ended in May 2015, has been one of Qatar's most high-profile critics in recent years.

Those criticising public abuses do not have to use the mildest possible medium to highlight their points of view. - Court statement

He first made the comment last year to the German radio stationhr-info in an interview about the controversial Qatari hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

"I have always made it clear that Qatar was a cancer on world football," he said at the time.

"How can a country half the size of [the German state of] Hesse host the world's biggest football event?"

Zwazinger was especially concerned about human rights violations relating to the alleged exploitation of migrant labourers employed on large-scale infrastructure projects ahead of one of the world's largest and most profitable sports events. 

In September, he described FIFA's decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar as a "blatant mistake".

Qatar has also been widely criticised by international media and football associations over allegations of corruption during the World Cup bidding process.

But Doha has fought back against allegations of abuse and exploitation, saying it was beginning a raft of reforms aimed at improving working practices and employee safety.