Former Germany international Mesut Özil called for an end to international football sanctions against Russia, criticizing global governing bodies during a veterans’ match in Istanbul.
Speaking after a 3–2 exhibition fixture between Istanbul Başakşehir and Zenit St. Petersburg, the 2014 World Cup winner argued that the international sports community should lift its bans on Russian clubs and national teams. Özil contended that the sport has historically served to unite people regardless of origin or belief, pointing to the treatment of Russian teams compared to Israeli sides as evidence of inconsistent enforcement by world soccer authorities.
The 38-year-old specifically addressed the International Federation of Association Football, urging officials to abandon what he described as double standards in disciplinary measures. “The football has always provided peace,” Özil said, according to coverage by WELT. “As long as we did not pay attention to origin and belief, football has always brought people together. As you know, there were no sanctions against teams from Israel, but against Russian teams. I would like to appeal to FIFA at this point: I hope they put aside the double standards and treat everyone equally.”
Following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, FIFA and the Union of European Football Associations barred Russian national teams and clubs from all official competitions.
Political Connections and Previous Statements
The venue and participants of the veterans' match highlighted distinct political ties between the clubs involved. Vladimir Putin is known as a supporter of Zenit St. Petersburg, while Recep Tayyip Erdoğan maintains a close association with Istanbul Başakşehir.
Özil’s remarks follow a series of politically charged public appearances since his retirement from professional play. In 2024, he shared images on social media featuring a map of Israel with the country’s name crossed out and replaced with “Palestine.” Last year, members of Erdoğan’s conservative Justice and Development Party elected Özil to the organization’s board.
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