The Associated Press reports that an outcry has erupted in Germany over the refusal of dual citizenship member of a German soccer team to play a match in Israel. Both his coach and the soccer federation found nothing wrong with his refusal, sparking public controversy.

Berlin's daily tabloid B-Z quoted him as saying: "I have more Iranian than German blood in my veins. I am doing it out of respect. After all, my parents are Iranian."

"Everybody knows I am a German-Iranian," the midfielder told the top-selling Bild, adding that his decision to withdraw from the game with Israel had "political reasons".

In a statement posted on its Web site, the association said it accepted the player's "personal reasons" not to participate in the game.

"I have accepted the coach's decision, because he explained to me that the player has personal reasons for his decision," association President Theo Zwanziger said in the statement.