The key facts
- Özil was added to the 'Peacemaker' database on November 9, 2026; he is accused of 'public support for Russia'
- The reason was his speech on October 21 in Istanbul after a friendly match between veterans of Istanbul Başakşehir and Zenit (3:2)
- Russian teams have been suspended from FIFA and UEFA tournaments since February 2022; the question of their return remains open
Özil added to the 'Peacemaker' database
World champion with the German national team Mesut Özil has been added to the database of the Ukrainian website 'Peacemaker'*. This was reported on November 9, 2026 by RIA Novosti, cited by Gazeta.Ru. The authors of the resource accused the 38-year-old footballer of 'participation in acts of humanitarian aggression against Ukraine', manipulation of publicly significant information, and public support for Russia. Life.ru clarifies that the reason was his statement about sanctions against Russian teams.
What prompted it
We are talking about Özil's speech on October 21 in Istanbul after a friendly match between veterans of Istanbul Başakşehir and St. Petersburg's Zenit, held as part of the Verona Eurasian Economic Forum. The game ended with a 3:2 victory for the Turkish team. According to Life.ru, Özil did not so much make a separate appeal in defense of Russian football as call for the same rules to be applied to all countries: he criticized FIFA for its different approach to Russian and Israeli national teams and clubs, noting that Russian teams are suspended from international competitions while Israeli teams continue to take part in them. Gazeta.Ru frames the same position as a call to lift sanctions on Russia because of double standards.
Context of the suspension of Russian teams
Russian clubs and national teams have been suspended from tournaments under the auspices of FIFA and UEFA since February 2022. On February 2, 2026, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said that the suspension had not produced the desired result and that the question of the return of Russian teams needed to be considered. However, according to The Times, cited by Gazeta.Ru, the FIFA Council does not intend to consider admitting the Russians for fear of criticism from European countries. Thus, Özil's public statement came at a time when even within FIFA the question of the return of Russian teams remains unresolved. The footballer's inclusion in the 'Peacemaker' database itself is a decision by the website's authors, not a sanction by sports organizations; the resource, created in 2014, publishes personal data of people who, in the opinion of its authors, 'threaten the national security of Ukraine', and has previously added journalists, artists, and politicians to it.
* Note
The 'Peacemaker' website has been designated extremist and banned in Russia.
