War on Ukraine: Which Russian teams are affected by FIFA, UEFA suspension?
Amidst the ongoing war on Ukraine, FIFA and UEFA on Monday suspended Russia's national and club teams from all competitions until further notice.
FollowAmidst the ongoing war on Ukraine, FIFA and UEFA on Monday suspended Russia's national and club teams from all competitions until further notice.
A joint FIFA and UEFA statement read, "Following the initial decisions adopted by the FIFA Council and the UEFA Executive Committee, which envisaged the adoption of additional measures, FIFA and UEFA have today decided together that all Russian teams, whether national representative teams or club teams, shall be suspended from participation in both FIFA and UEFA competitions until further notice."
"These decisions were adopted today by the Bureau of the FIFA Council and the Executive Committee of UEFA, respectively the highest decision-making bodies of both institutions on such urgent matters," the statement added.
"Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine. Both Presidents hope that the situation in Ukraine will improve significantly and rapidly so that football can again be a vector for unity and peace amongst people," the statement concluded.
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The suspension means:
1. Russia is scheduled to face Poland in the FIFA 2022 World Cup qualifying play-off on March 24, and if they remain suspended at that time, Russia would be out of the World Cup and won't be part of the tournament set to take place in Qatar in November.
2. UEFA has already confirmed Spartak Moscow will not play their Europa League game against RB Leipzig, with the German club advancing to the quarter-finals. In response to UEFA's decision, Spartak Moscow says it is "extremely upsetting" and one "we do not agree with" but are "looking forward to a speedy achievement of peace".
3. The suspension could also affect the men's Nations League set to be held later this year. Russia is due to play Albania twice in June and games against Israel and Iceland.
4. UEFA says a decision will be made later about the impact on the Women's Euro 2022 to be played England in July, which Russia has qualified for.
Meanwhile, UEFA has also terminated its deal with energy company Gazprom, which is majority-owned by the Russian state and a major sponsor of the Champions League. The sponsorship deal has been in place since 2012 and has been reported to be worth around 40 million euros per season.
UK PM Boris Johnson tweeted after the ban was confirmed, saying, "This is a powerful message from the international sporting community that we will not tolerate Putin's abhorrent assaults on freedom and liberty. Well done, FIFA and UEFA."
The decision from FIFA and UEFA came after immense pressure from individual countries to go further in their sanctions, with the governing body first having said that Russia could compete as the 'Football Union of Russia' and play matches outside the country.
Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic said on Sunday they would refuse to play World Cup play-off games against Russia and on Monday, England, Scotland and Wales followed suit.
Also read: Not Russia, France to host Champions League 2021-22 final; fans laud UEFA
Meanwhile, UEFA has also announced that Paris will host this season's Champions League final after Saint Petersburg was stripped of the match due to Russia's military invasion of Ukraine.
The showpiece occasion of the European club season will be played at the Stade de France on May 28, European football's governing body said on Friday after holding an emergency meeting in response to the crisis.
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