The Liverpool defender Milos Kerkez finds himself at the heart of a controversy that goes far beyond football. He has even been listed on the Myrotvorets site, which publishes information about people described as “enemies of Ukraine”.
This situation prompted Hungary’s foreign minister, Anita Orbán, to speak out publicly.
Here are the details…
Hungary-Ukraine match, origin of the incident …
The case originated from the Nations League clash between Hungary and Ukraine, played on September 25 and won 1-0 by the visitors. At the end of the match, a scuffle broke out among several players. Kerkez notably found himself in contact with Ukrainian Viktor Tsyhankov, whom he grabbed by the collar.
The context then became much more sensitive after a post by the player’s father, Sebastijan Kerkez. He shared on Instagram an image of the incident accompanied by the song Russian Paradise, performed by the Russian group AK-47. According to Telex, this post provoked strong reactions in Ukraine. Kerkez and his father were then added to the Myrotvorets database.
Kerkez rejects any accusation of supporting the assault
The Liverpool player quickly sought to distance himself from the accusations against him. In remarks reported by Telex, Kerkez explained that he had “never” supported any form of aggression. He described his on-field intervention as a way to defend Dominik Szoboszlai, his captain and friend.
The defender also insisted that his father’s acts could not be attributed to him. This clarification is important, as his listing on Myrotvorets now subjects him to political exposure that he obviously had not sought.
This calls for intervention by the Hungarian government!
The controversy eventually took on a diplomatic dimension. Hungary’s foreign minister, Anita Orbán, condemned the listing of Kerkez and the political figure Balázs Hidvéghi on the site. She explained that she had held consultations with Ukrainian representatives, the Hungarian Football Federation, the embassy and her colleagues in order to help resolve the situation.
The minister also stressed an essential point: Myrotvorets is not an official site of the Ukrainian state, and the exact identity of its operators is not clearly established. For Kerkez, this affair comes as he continues his rise to the highest level.
Since arriving at Liverpool, the Hungarian defender must now contend with a controversy born from an international incident and amplified by social media.
