Özil and Başakşehir president accuse FIFA of double standards on Russia and Israel
Former footballer Mesut Özil and the president of Turkish club Başakşehir have criticized what they call double standards at FIFA. They point to Russian clubs being barred from competition while Israeli clubs continue to take part, and they call for all teams to be treated equally, according to Al Jazeera.
Why it matters
The remarks reopen the debate over how sports federations apply their rules to countries involved in conflicts. The issue draws wide attention among Arab and Muslim audiences.
Background
FIFA is football's international governing body, and clubs' and national teams' participation in competitions is subject to decisions by international and continental football authorities. Başakşehir is a Turkish club, and Mesut Özil is a former player who represented the German national team.
This is a brief summary. The full details and context are in the original coverage.
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