Mesut Özil controversy regarding Russia and Ukraine

Former German footballer Mesut Özil sparked controversy after calling for FIFA to end what he described as “double standards” regarding the treatment of Russian and Israeli football teams. Speaking in Istanbul during a veterans’ football match between Istanbul Basaksehir and Zenit St. Petersburg, Özil argued that while Russian teams have faced embargoes since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, no similar sanctions have been applied to Israeli teams. His comments were supported by Başakşehir president Göksel Gümüşdağ, who urged FIFA and UEFA to demonstrate fairness.

Following these remarks, the Ukrainian portal Mirotvorets added Özil to its database of individuals deemed enemies of the state. The portal, which maintains a registry of people it considers threats to Ukraine’s national security, accused the 38-year-old of spreading Russian propaganda and providing public support for Russia’s military operation in Ukraine. Mirotvorets further characterized his statements as acts of humanitarian aggression. The organization has listed seven specific grounds against him, including the dissemination of Russian narratives and participation in information-propaganda campaigns.