Mesut Özil accuses FIFA of double standards and demands equality for Russia and Israel

Former German star Mesut Özil has accused FIFA of double standards in handling political issues within football, calling for all parties to be treated according to the same criteria. This comes amid the ongoing suspension of Russian teams and clubs from participating in international competitions, while teams affiliated with Israel continue to compete.

Mesut Özil made statements during an event accompanying a friendly match between former players of Başakşehir and Zenit Saint Petersburg in Istanbul, before his comments were widely reported by the media.

Mesut Özil, who won the FIFA World Cup with Germany in 2014, stated during his speech: "As you know, FIFA has not imposed any sanctions on Israeli teams, but it has imposed sanctions on Russian teams."

He added, addressing FIFA: "I would like to appeal to FIFA from here, and I hope they stop applying double standards and treat everyone equally."

The former Real Madrid and Arsenal player emphasized that football has always been a means to unite people and promote peace, regardless of racial and religious differences. He based his call for the unification of the standards adopted by international football bodies in dealing with political conflicts on these principles.

The sanctions imposed on Russia date back to February 2022, when FIFA and UEFA decided to exclude Russian national teams and clubs from their competitions, following the start of the Russian attack on Ukraine. Since then, restrictions on Russian participation in international competitions governed by the two federations have continued.