'Double standard': Özil wants football sanctions against Russia lifted

Former Germany midfielder Mesut Özil has called on footballl authorities to end sanctions against Russia, accusing them of double standard because Israel has not been banned.

World governing body FIFA and Europe's UEFA have banned Russian teams from international events since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Israel has been criticised over the military operation in Gaza it started after the Hamas group attacked Israel in October 2023. It is not been sanctioned by football authorities.

Özil, who helped Germany win the World Cup in 2014, spoke out on the sidelines of a veterans' game between his former Turkish club Başakşehir and Russian side Zenit St Petersburg earlier in the week.

"I'd like to say this: football has always brought peace. As long as we don't focus on race or religion, the world of sport has always brought people together," he said.

"As is well known, and as you know, FIFA has not imposed any sanctions on Israeli teams, but it has done so against Russian teams.

"Here, I would like to appeal, as they say, to FIFA. Hopefully, they will stop applying double standards and treat everyone equally. That is why I would like to thank you all for organising this event."

Özil has supported the Palestinian case in the past, including two years ago on Instagram where he posted a map with the name Israel crossed out and Palestine written underneath.

Germany-born Özil played for Schalke, Werder Bremen, Real Madrid, Arsenal, Fenerbahçe and Başakşehir, where he ended his career in 2023. He won 92 Germany caps but retired from the team in 2018 over a controversy around a picture that showed him with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.