Salomon Kalou has been banned from Hertha BSC training after breaching the club's health and safety rules.
The former Chelsea forward posted a video on social media of him shaking hands with teammates, making light of the coronavirus pandemic and criticising the club's pay cuts.
"With his video, Salomon Kalou gave the impression that Hertha BSC's players are not taking the required social distancing and hygiene guidelines of health services seriously,"
Hertha said in a statement.
"Hertha BSC would like to clarify that these were the actions of one individual player.
"The fact that other team members did not draw his attention to this transgression, and instead returned the greeting with a handshake, makes it clear that rules on social distancing must be enforced with even greater intensity.
"With this video taken inside the team's dressing room, Kalou broke clear internal rules and display a behaviour, which is neither appropriate for this current situation, nor reflective of the code of conduct of Hertha BSC.
"The club has therefore made the decision to suspend the player in question from training and matches with immediate effect."
Kalou quickly tried to make amends by issuing an apology.
"I'm sorry if I gave the impression that I'm not taking coronavirus seriously. I want to apologise for this," Kalou said in the statement.
"The reality is the exact opposite, because I'm really worried about the people of Africa, because health systems aren't as good there as they are in Germany.
"I didn't really think it through, and was excited that my tests came back negative.
"I would also like to apologise to all those, who appeared in the video, who didn't know that I was broadcasting live and whom I didn't want to bring into this situation."