FIFA President Gianni Infantino has been added to Ukraine’s controversial Myrotvorets database after remarks in which he suggested that Russian footballers, particularly at the youth level, should be allowed back into international competitions.
The state-backed website often referred to as Ukraine’s “kill list” accuses Infantino of “humanitarian aggression against Ukraine,” “systemic support and cooperation” with Russia, and assisting in the spread of Russian “propaganda.”
It also cites his past engagement with Moscow, including the Order of Friendship awarded to him by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2019. Infantino has not publicly responded to his inclusion on the site.
However, the FIFA President’s inclusion drew a reaction from Russia’s diplomatic mission in Kenya. In a statement issued on Wednesday, February 4, the Russian Embassy in Nairobi said Infantino had been added to Ukraine’s Myrotvorets database after calling for a review of restrictions on Russian teams.
“#FIFA President Gianni #Infantino was added to #Ukraine’s ‘Myrotvorets’ kill list. After suggesting that the ban on #Russian teams in international tournaments should be reconsidered, he’s now labeled a ‘moral degenerate’ and a threat to Ukraine’s national security. Who’s next?”
The Myrotvorets website is officially described as a non-governmental platform investigating alleged crimes against Ukraine’s national security.
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It has long drawn controversy for publishing personal data of individuals it labels as enemies of the state. While Ukrainian authorities insist it operates independently, the site is widely reported to maintain close ties with Ukraine’s security services.
The database has previously listed numerous high-profile international figures, including political leaders, journalists, and business executives.
Critics have branded it a “kill list” after several individuals featured on the site were later murdered or died under suspicious circumstances, with entries notably including a “date of elimination” field.
FIFA President blasted
Infantino has drawn sharp criticism from Ukrainian officials following comments made in recent interviews, including one with Sky News, in which he argued that bans on Russian athletes have failed to achieve their intended goals.
“We have to. Definitely. This ban has achieved nothing, it has only created more frustration and hatred,” Infantino said, adding that allowing Russian boys and girls to play football elsewhere in Europe “could help,” at least at youth level.
Russia has been barred from most international sporting competitions, including FIFA and UEFA events, since the launch of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Moscow has consistently denounced the bans as discriminatory and in violation of the Olympic Charter.
Responding to the controversy, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that, “Sports and the Olympic movement should never be politicized.”
Earlier, Ukraine’s Sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi also criticised the FIFA President, describing his comments as detached from the reality of the conflict.
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Bidnyi cited the deaths of more than 650 Ukrainian athletes and coaches since the start of the invasion, including over 100 footballers.
He named several victims, including Illia Perezhogin, a teenage student killed by a missile strike while playing football at his school, and former futsal player Viktoriia Kotliarova, who died during the shelling of Kyiv in December 2023.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on his part condemned Infantino’s remarks in a post on X on February 2, directly linking the issue to the human cost of the war.
“Six-hundred seventy-nine Ukrainian girls and boys will never be able to play football — Russia killed them,” Sybiha wrote.
“And it keeps killing more while moral degenerates suggest lifting bans, despite Russia’s failure to end its war. Future generations will view this as a shame reminiscent of the 1936 Olympics.”
Infantino bid to lift FIFA’s Russia ban
The backlash comes as FIFA considers limited avenues for Russia’s return to international football.
In December, the FIFA Council announced plans for a new Under-15 international festival, following a recommendation from the Olympic Summit that sports federations explore allowing Russian athletes to compete at youth level.
A media release said the event would be “open to all 211 FIFA member associations.” FIFA briefly lifted restrictions on Russian Under-17 teams in 2023 but reversed the decision after widespread opposition from European federations.
Russian Football Union President Alexander Dyukov has since said Moscow expects international football bodies to move toward reinstatement, citing what he described as positive signals from FIFA and UEFA following International Olympic Committee guidance.
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