Vitaly Mutko

Mutko was born on 8 December 1958 in the stanitsa of Kurinskaya of Apsheronsky District in Krasnodar Krai in the Soviet Union.{{cite web|url=http://shportko.ru/Pytyah/work/enversion.asp?str=regions.ru/news/2593224/|title=Putin has approved Mutko's appointment the Deputy Prime Minister for sport and tourism|publisher=REGIONS.ru|date=19 October 2016|access-date=11 December 2016}}{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} He started working as a technician on shipping vessels in 1977. In 1983, he was selected to work for the executive committee of Kirov district of Leningrad. He attended the {{Ill|Saint Petersburg State University of Water Communication|ru|Санкт-Петербургский государственный университет водных коммуникаций|lt=Water Transport Institute}} in Leningrad, graduating from the River Vocational College in 1987. Before graduating from College, Mutko changed his name from Victor to Vitaly. In 1990, he was appointed as a member of the district council and the head of the district administration a year later. He also graduated from the Law Department of Saint Petersburg State University in 1999.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8iQxDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT550|title=Routledge Handbook of Sport and Politics|author=Alan Bairner, John Kelly, Jung Woo Lee|publisher=Routledge|pages=550–553|year=2016|isbn=9781317646662}}

In 1992, he became the deputy mayor of Saint Petersburg as well as the chairman of the City Committee on Social Issues. He served in both the positions until 1996.{{cite web|url=http://government.ru/en/gov/persons/17/events/|title=Vitaly Mutko|publisher=The Russian Government|access-date=30 October 2016}} Along with Vladimir Putin in 1994, who at the time headed the city mayor's committee for external relations, he helped organize the 1994 Goodwill Games which was the first major sporting event in Russia since the dissolution of the Soviet Union.{{cite web|url=http://www.dw.com/en/russian-sports-minister-vitaly-mutko-appointed-deputy-prime-minister/a-36094135|title=Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko appointed deputy prime minister|publisher=Deutsche Welle|date=19 October 2016|access-date=30 October 2016}}

He also moved into sports administration and became the president of FC Zenit Saint Petersburg in 1997. During his tenure, he oversaw the club's rise to sporting prominence as well as economic transformation.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jun/01/vitaly-mutko-russian-football-putin-power|title=Vitaly Mutko's Russian football hold will strengthen Putin's power|work=The Guardian|date=1 June 2015|access-date=31 October 2016}} He founded the Russian Premier League in 2001 and became its president, a position which he held until 2003.{{cite web|url=http://www.rferl.org/a/russia-sports-minister-mutko-doping-scandal/27364137.html|title=Vitaly Mutko: Doping Scandal Puts Putin's Sports Chief In The Spotlight|author=Tom Balmforth|publisher=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|date=13 November 2015|access-date=31 October 2016}}{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0225-0f8aa2d8f7c2-d46e5d39f93d-1000--mutko-elected-in-russia/|title=Mutko elected in Russia|author=Dmitri Rogovitski|publisher=UEFA|date=2 September 2015|access-date=31 October 2016}} He was appointed to the committee of Russian Paralympic Committee in 2002 and has also chaired committees and charities for helping people with mental disabilities.

On 29 October 2003, he became a member of the upper house of the Russian parliament, representing the Saint Petersburg government.{{cite web|url=https://lenta.ru/lib/14182905/|title=Мутко, Виталий: Министр спорта, туризма и молодежной политики РФ|publisher=Lenta.ru|access-date=11 December 2016|language=ru}} He was elected as the President of Russian Football Union in April 2005, a position in which he served until November 2009.{{cite web|url=http://tass.com/sport/818106|title=Sports Minister Mutko unanimously elected Russian Football Union chief|publisher=Russian News Agency TASS|date=2 September 2016|access-date=31 October 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/sports/football/russian-sports-minister-holds-on-to-post-of-football-chief-as-coaches-revolt-3048369/|title=Russian Sports Minister holds on to post of football chief as coaches revolt|agency=Associated Press|publisher=The Indian Express|date=25 September 2016|access-date=31 October 2016}} Meanwhile, in 2006, he defended his doctoral thesis on "Correlation of Market and Public Regulators in the Development of Physical Culture and Sport" at the St. Petersburg State University and received a doctorate in economics.{{Cite web|title=RIOU {{!}} Vitaly Mutko|url=https://www.olympicuniversity.ru/en/about/administration/detail/-/content/entry/1949188|access-date=2021-07-09|website=www.olympicuniversity.ru}} He was appointed as the Minister of Sport, Tourism and Youth Policy on 12 May 2008 by President Dmitry Medvedev.{{cite web|url=http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/42|title=President Dmitry Medvedev signed decrees on the restructuring of the executive branch of power and personal appointments|publisher=Kremlin.ru|date=12 May 2008|access-date=31 October 2016}} He was appointed as a member of FIFA's Executive Committee in 2009. He was also the chairman of Russia's successful 2018 FIFA World Cup bid.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/russia-doping-crisis-who-is-vitaly-mutko-russias-minister-of-sport-at-the-centre-of-wadas-report-a6728936.html|title=Russia doping crisis: Who is Vitaly Mutko, Russia's minister of sport at the centre of Wada's report?|author=Mark Critchley|work=The Independent|date=10 November 2015|access-date=31 October 2016}}

He was reappointed as Minister of Sport on 21 May 2012 by President Putin.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2012/05/21/meet-russias-new-government/#c7494a06fefe|title=Thoughts On Russia's New Government|author=Kenneth Rapoza|work=Forbes|date=21 May 2012|access-date=31 October 2016}} On 2 September 2015, he was appointed as the President of Russian Football Union for a second time without any opposition. Although government officials aren't allowed to hold top positions in sports organizations, an exception was made for Mutko in July 2015. On 24 September 2016, he was elected as the President of the association for a term of four years after winning the elections with 266 votes against his opponent Valery Gazzaev who received 142 votes.{{cite web|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-russia-rfu-idUKKCN11U0CJ|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160924113322/http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-russia-rfu-idUKKCN11U0CJ|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 24, 2016|title=Mutko wins new term as Russian Football Union president|author=Dmitriy Rogovitskiy|publisher=Reuters|date=24 September 2016|access-date=31 October 2016}}

On 19 October 2016, he was promoted to a Deputy Prime Minister of Russia. His deputy Pavel Kolobkov was appointed to replace him as the Minister of Sport.{{cite web|url=http://rbth.com/sport/2016/10/24/former-olympic-fencing-champion-becomes-russias-new-sports-minister_641691|title=Former Olympic fencing champion becomes Russia's new sports minister|date=24 October 2016 |publisher=Russia Beyond The Headlines|access-date=30 October 2016}} He was barred from standing in re-election as a member of FIFA Council in March 2017 due to his ministerial role that was against the statutes of political neutrality and the prevention of any form of government interference.{{cite news|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-fifa-russia-mutko-idUKKBN16H0T5|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170310103355/http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-fifa-russia-mutko-idUKKBN16H0T5|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 10, 2017|title=Russian minister Mutko barred from FIFA re-election|first=Brian|last=Homewood|date=10 March 2017|work=Reuters|access-date=16 March 2017}}

He announced temporarily relinquishing his position on 25 December 2017 as President of Russian Football Union for a period of six months to appeal against his Olympic ban,[https://www.dw.com/en/vitaly-mutko-to-temporarily-step-down-as-russias-football-federation-boss/a-41930602 Vitaly Mutko to temporarily step down as Russia's football federation boss] which was later lifted{{cite web |title=Russian deputy PM Mutko wins Olympic doping appeal |website=USA Today |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701143402/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2019/07/11/russian-deputy-pm-mutko-wins-olympic-doping-appeal/39673905/ |archive-date=2022-07-01 |url-status=live |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2019/07/11/russian-deputy-pm-mutko-wins-olympic-doping-appeal/39673905/}} by the Court of Arbitration for Sports in Lausanne, Switzerland. On 18 May 2018, he was re-appointed Deputy Prime Minister, while instead of sports issues, in the new cabinet, Mutko began to oversee the construction and development of regions.[https://ria.ru/20180518/1520893996.html Мутко рассказал о своей новой должности в правительстве] Mutko resigned as head of Russian Football Union on 19 December.[https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2018/12/19/russias-mutko-resigns-as-football-union-head-a63891 Russia's Mutko Resigns as Football Union Head]

On 15 January 2020, he resigned as part of the cabinet, after President Vladimir Putin delivered the Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly, in which he proposed several amendments to the constitution.{{Cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/dmitry-medvedev-resign-russia-prime-minister-putin-quit-latest-a9284741.html |title=Russian PM resigns in shock move as Putin announces dramatic constitutional shake-up |last=Carroll |first=Oliver |date=January 15, 2020 |website=The Independent |language=en |access-date=January 17, 2020}} On 21 January, he was replaced by Marat Khusnullin.{{cite web|url=https://realty.ria.ru/20200122/1563733294.html|title=Хуснуллин сформулировал первоочередные задачи Минстроя|language=ru|website=RIA Novosti|date=22 January 2020}}

On 29 January, Mutko was appointed as the chief executive officer of {{Ill|DOM.RF|ru|Дом.рф|lt=DOM.RF}}, a state-owned company involved in the mortgage and realty market.{{cite web|url=https://realty.ria.ru/20200128/1563984723.html|title=Мутко назначен гендиректором госкомпании "Дом.РФ"|language=ru|website=RIA Novosti|date=28 January 2020}}

Mutko was the chairman for Russia's successful bid to host the World Cup in 2018. He has, however, been criticised for his comments about the rival English bid, such as by suggesting that English football is corrupt. By way of explanation, he said: "What I meant was that sometimes the English media say there is corruption in Russia, but I meant that if you dig deeply you find corruption in any country".[http://www.insideworldfootball.biz/worldcup/bids/russia/8452-russian-2018-bid-leader-claims-there-is-corruption-in-england Russian 2018 bid leader claims there is corruption in England], insideworldfootball.biz

Mutko accompanied the Russian team to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver in 2010. Afterwards, a report by the Russian parliament's Audit Chamber[http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2010/0707/Vancouver-Olympics-spending-scandal-How-much-does-a-Russian-breakfast-cost Vancouver Olympics spending scandal: How much does a Russian breakfast cost?], csmonitor.com criticised him for claiming for a total of 97 breakfasts during the team's twenty-day stay in Canada,[https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2010/nov/24/world-cup-2018-russia-bid Russia rests 2018 World Cup bid on belief that big and bold is best], Guardian[http://theweek.com/article/index/204682/russias-olympic-spend-a-thon-by-the-numbers Russia's Olympic spend-a-thon: By the numbers], theweek.com costing a total of $4,500.[http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/auditor-sports-minister-spent-4500-on-vancouver-breakfasts/409694.html Auditor: Sports Minister Spent $4,500 on Vancouver Breakfasts], Moscow Times Each night in his hotel was charged at $1,499. In total, Mutko is said to have spent twelve times his official limit. Mutko told Vedomosti newspaper: "Why do those who want to accuse me of something not interest themselves in how much the French sports minister paid for accommodation?"

{{main|Doping in Russia}}

On 9 November 2015, a report by an independent commission of the World Anti-Doping Agency accused Mutko of overseeing a wide-ranging, doping scheme within Russian track and field. Dick Pound, the head of the commission, said, "It was impossible for him [Mutko] not to be aware of it. And if he’s aware of it, he’s complicit in it." It was further alleged that Mutko's agency had undue influence over RUSADA, the Russian anti-doping agency that should operate independently from influence of government or athletes.{{cite news|last1=Gibson|first1=Owen|title=Russia accused of 'state-sponsored doping' as Wada calls for athletics ban|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/nov/09/wada-iaaf-russia-dick-pound-banned|access-date=9 November 2015|publisher=Guardian|date=9 November 2015}}

On 5 December 2017, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned Mutko for life from future Olympic Games for his role in the doping conspiracy.{{cite news|last1=Ingle|first1=Sean|title=Russia banned from Winter Olympics over state-sponsored doping|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/dec/05/russian-olympic-committee-banned-winter-games-doping|access-date=5 December 2017|work=The Guardian|date=5 December 2017}} The Court of Arbitration for Sport however lifted it in July 2019, after he appealed to it for overturning the decision of IOC.[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sport-doping-russia-mutko/doping-cas-lifts-olympic-ban-on-former-russian-sports-minister-mutko-idUSKCN1U616V Doping: CAS lifts Olympic ban on former Russian Sports Minister Mutko]{{Cite web|title=CAS 2017/A/5498 Vitaly Mutko v. IOC|url=https://www.tas-cas.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Award__5498__FINAL_signed_.pdf|access-date=13 July 2021|website=tas-cas.org}}

In December 2010, when Mutko was at a meeting in Zürich with the executive committee of FIFA about the 2018 World Cup's host country, he delivered a welcoming speech in English with a strong Russian accent. This speech became well known as "Лет ми спик фром май харт" (Let me speak from my heart) and gained massive popularity on the internet. After the speech, Mutko claimed that he had been memorising the speech for two weeks, including in front of his family, and that the English speech was cyrillised.{{Cite web|url=https://meduza.io/shapito/2016/08/11/mutko-porabotal-perevodchikom-s-angliyskogo|access-date=2020-06-16|website=meduza.io|title=Мутко поработал переводчиком с английского}}{{Cite web|date=2011-01-14|title=Russians told to mind their language – especially when it comes to English|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jan/14/russian-officials-must-speak-foreign-language|access-date=2020-07-20|website=the Guardian|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Mutko Speech|url=http://lurkmore.so/images/6/60/Mutko_speech.jpg|website=Lurkmore}} Mutko's English was also the subject of nonstop jokes from the Russian government. In 2015, Dmitry Medvedev wished Mutko a happy birthday with broken English. Vladimir Putin also gave Mutko an English self-help book.{{Cite web|title=Vitaly Mutko|url=http://kremlin-roadmap.gfsis.org/public-persons/display/12|access-date=2020-07-20|website=GFSIS|language=en}}

• 2009 – Member of the FIFA Council{{cite web|title=FIFA's official website|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/russia2018/organisation/leaders/mutko.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120522015316/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/russia2018/organisation/leaders/mutko.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 22, 2012}}
• Vice-president of the Football Federation of St Petersburg{{cite web|title=FIFA's official website|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/russia2018/organisation/leaders/mutko.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120522015316/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/russia2018/organisation/leaders/mutko.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 22, 2012|work=FIFA}}
• Founder and President of the Public Charity Foundation for Support and Development of Football in St Petersburg “Golden Pelican”{{cite web|title=Russian International Olympic University|url=http://www.olympicuniversity.ru/web/en/board-of-trustees/-/view-content/19065|work=olympicuniversity.ru}}
• President of the Special Olympic Committee of St Petersburg, conducting competitions for athletes with disabilities and developing rehabilitation programs for people with intellectual disabilities{{cite web|title=SoccerFolk|url=http://www.soccerfolk.org/item/vitaly-mutko/|work=soccerfolk.org|access-date=2014-05-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512221146/http://www.soccerfolk.org/item/vitaly-mutko/|archive-date=2014-05-12|url-status=dead}}
• 2005–2009 – President of the Football Union of Russia
• 2001–2003 – President of the Russian Football Premier League
• 2015–2018 - President of the Football Union of Russia
• 2020–present - CEO of {{Ill|Dom.RF|ru|Дом.рф|lt=Dom.RF}}

Vitaly Mutko is engaged in commercial activities in sectors of the economy that provide a significant source of income for the Russian government, which initiated military operations and genocide of civilians in Ukraine.{{Cite web |title=MUTKO Vitaly Leontievich - biography, dossier, assets {{!}} War and sanctions |url=https://sanctions.nazk.gov.ua/en/sanction-person/1417/ |access-date=2023-04-03 |website=sanctions.nazk.gov.ua |language=en}}

On February 19, 2023, it was added to the sanctions list of Ukraine.{{Cite web |date=2023-03-04 |title=УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №82/2023 Про рішення Ради національної безпеки і оборони України від 19 лютого 2023 року «Про застосування та внесення змін до персональних спеціальних економічних та інших обмежувальних заходів (санкцій)» |url=https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/822023-45821 |language=uk}}

• Order of Merit for the Fatherland 3rd (2014){{Citation needed|date=November 2020}} and 4th class (2008){{cite web|url=http://en.rfs.ru/rfs/information/leads/general/588.html|title=Vitaly Mutko: President of the Football Union of Russia|publisher=Football Union of Russia|access-date=31 October 2016}}{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• Order of Honour (1994)
• Order of Friendship (2002)
• Medal "In Commemoration of the 300th Anniversary of Saint Petersburg" (2003)
• Medal "In Commemoration of the 1000th Anniversary of Kazan" (2005)

{{Reflist|2}}

{{Commons category}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20101103214434/http://www.russiaprofile.org/resources/whoiswho/alphabet/m/Mutko_V_L Biography]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20150218224037/http://en.rfs.ru/ Football Union of Russia] {{in lang|en}}
• [http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/simon-hill-welcomes-michael-garcias-investigation-into-2018-2022-world-cup-corruption-claims/story-e6frf423-1226871016724 FoxSports]
• [http://www.theage.com.au/sport/soccer/here-we-go-20101201-18gmg.html TheEge]

{{FC Zenit Saint Petersburg}}

{{Doping in Russia}}

{{Russian Cabinet}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mutko, Vitaly}}

Category:1958 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Apsheronsky District

Category:Deputy heads of government of the Russian Federation

Category:Government ministers of Russia

Category:Members of the Federation Council of Russia (after 2000)

Category:Presidents of the Russian Football Union

Category:Russian football chairmen and investors

Category:Doping in Russia

Category:FC Zenit Saint Petersburg

Category:Members of the UEFA Executive Committee

Category:Recipients of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 2nd class

Category:Recipients of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 3rd class

Category:Recipients of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th class

Category:Recipients of the Order of Honour (Russia)

Category:Recipients of the Order of Friendship