A group of about twenty Brazilian footballers, including their families, are stranded in one of Kiev’s hotels, trying to leave a country that is under fire from Russian occupying forces. In Ukraine, of course, all football competitions have been stopped, and foreign players now have the same goal as the aforementioned twenty Brazilians: to get away as quickly as possible.
The sports world is trying in vain to recover from the shock that Putin’s troops invaded Ukraine. The most watched situation at the moment is Ukraine, but the battle – diplomatic – is also taking place in other parts of the world.
The final of the Champions League, which was to be played in St. Petersburg in March, has already been transferred to Paris. Some competitors from countries that do not agree with the invasion are boycotting the Ski Cross World Cup competitions at the Sunny Valley resort in Russia, and all other races in Russia have been canceled. The Formula 1 race in Sochi in September was canceled. And the Paralympic Games in Beijing, which are scheduled to begin on March 4, are approaching.
Foreign competitors, including Czech representatives Nikol Kučerová and Daniel Paulus, did not compete in Sunny Valley to protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in the qualifiers for the weekend World Cup in cross-country skiing. While it is their quick departure from Russia, the international organization FIS canceled all races in Russia by the end of the 2022 season.
Football in Ukraine
Ukrainian football has stopped at all levels. The home football league was to be renewed this weekend after the winter break. The Ukrainian Football Association has said it will call for any Russian national or club teams not to take part in “any international competitions under the auspices of FIFA and UEFA.”
A group of Brazilian footballers, including Moraese of Shakhtar Donetsk, said they had not yet found a way to fly home from Ukraine. “The situation is desperate,” said Moraes, 34. In a video that the group posted on social media, Moraes added: “Borders are closed, also banks, there is no fuel, there will be a shortage of food, there is no money. We have gathered and are waiting for a plan to leave Ukraine. “
Brazilian ambassador to Ukraine Norton Rapesta promised to evacuate all Brazilians, but did not specify how he imagines it in a critical situation.
There will be no Champions League final in St. Petersburg in March. It was to be played at Gazprom Arena on May 28. However, FIFA moved to Paris today at an extraordinary meeting meeting with immediate effect. “FIFA condemns the use of force by Russia in Ukraine and any kind of violence to resolve conflicts. Violence is never the answer, and FIFA calls on all parties to restore peace through constructive dialogue, ”said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
The Russian Formula 1 Grand Prix, which was to take place in Sochi on September 25, was canceled. The F1 management statement said that it had been agreed at a stakeholder meeting that it was not possible to hold the Russian Grand Prix in the current circumstances. F1 is reportedly following the continuing situation in Ukraine with sadness and shock and with the hope of a speedy and peaceful solution. Even before that decision, four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel said the race should be canceled, and reigning champion Max Verstappen added: “When a country is at war, it is not right to race there.”
In the meantime, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has joined the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and condemned Russia’s violation of the Olympic Truce. “The IOC is deeply concerned about the security of the Olympic community in Ukraine. He has set up a task force to monitor the situation closely and coordinate humanitarian aid to members of the Olympic community in Ukraine where possible. ”The Russian delegation is ready to focus on the Paralympic Games. The IPC said it was “in dialogue” with the Ukrainian and Russian Paralympic Committees.
The International Ski Federation (FIS) also reacted harshly to the incident in the Russian resort of Sunny Valley, where foreign competitors refused to enter the competition. Following the consultation, it decided that, in the interests of the safety of all participants and the preservation of the integrity of the World Cup, all remaining FIS events scheduled for the end of 2022 in Russia would be canceled. The 2022 season will either be canceled or relocated. The following competitions were to take place in Russia: FIS Ski Cross World Cup (February 25-27) in Sunny Valley, FIS Acrobatics World Cup in Yaroslavl, World Acrobatics Championships in Moscow, Women’s Ski Jumping World Cup in Nizhny Tagil , The Tchaikovsky Women’s Ski Jumping World Cup and the FIS Cross Country Skiing Cup in Tyumen.
In Germany, the second-league Schalke announced that the logo of the main sponsor, the Russian state gas giant Gazprom, would be removed from the club’s jerseys. The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) has canceled Friday’s UK match in Belarus in World Cup qualifiers.
Shevchenko: War is not the answer
Former Chelsea and AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko, a record-breaking Ukrainian all-time scorer and national team manager, has called on Russia to stop aggression and violations of international law. “My people and my family are under attack. We just want peace. War is not the solution, “he appealed to Instagram.
Vladimir Klitschko, a former Ukrainian heavyweight world champion, called the Russian invasion a “blatant violation of international law.” “If Putin continues his plan to change the regime in Kiev, then democracies around the world must start thinking about regime change in Moscow. Before it’s too late. “
Former striker of Ukraine and Shakhtar Donetsk Yevgeny Levchenko told the BBC World Service that “it is sad that my country is destroyed” and called on football authorities to take “dramatic” action against Russia.
Lluís Cortés, head coach of Ukraine’s women’s football team, told Radio 5 Live that he was trying to leave the country. “It’s a really difficult situation. We don’t feel scared, but you don’t know what will happen. “
One of the most famous Ukrainian footballers, Ruslan Malinovsky, unveiled a T-shirt with the words “No war in Ukraine” after scoring for the Italian Atalanta in the match against the Greek Olympiakos in the European League on Thursday.
His national teammate Roman Yaremchuk celebrated his goal for Portuguese Benfika against Ajax in the Champions League on Wednesday by unveiling a T-shirt with the emblem of the Ukrainian national emblem.
Russian tennis player Andrei Rublyov, after reaching the semifinals of the Dubai Tennis Championship, expressed support for peace. “It’s not about my match. What is happening is much scarier. You realize how important it is to have peace in the world and to respect each other. “
Alexander Simonenko, a Ukrainian national team and roller skating coach, woke up on Thursday at 5 o’clock in the morning with a rocket explosion that hit 500 meters from his house in Kiev. “Hello, Martin, thanks for your concern, we are OK so far, I hope we will defeat them, this is our country, our home,” he wrote to the head of Czech roller skating, Martin Máčel.
