Wayne Lumbasi
Top regulatory authorities governing global and European football have suspended Russian clubs and national teams from international games amid the Russia-Ukraine war.
“All Russian clubs and national teams are suspended from participation in both FIFA and UEFA competitions until further notice,” the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) said in a statement on Monday.
It said that the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and UEFA took a joint decision as they suspended all Russian teams’ participation in international football competitions until further notice.
“Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine,” UEFA added.
The initial pressure for an outright ban of Russia came from soccer officials in Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic, whose national team faced the prospect of games against Russia in a World Cup playoff in March.
Other countries and officials, including the federations representing France, England and the United States, quickly said they would not play Russia under any circumstances.
The Russian Football Union, known as the R.F.U., called the ban discriminatory, and said it was considering its legal options.
“Such actions split the international sports community, which has always adhered to the principles of equality, mutual respect and independence from politics,” the F.R.U. said.
“We reserve the right to challenge the decision of FIFA and UEFA in accordance with international sports law.”
UEFA had last week stripped St. Petersburg, the home of Gazprom, of this year’s Champions League final. The game will be played in France instead
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