The International Football Federation (FIFA) and the Union of Associations of European Football Federations (UEFA) jointly announced on Monday that they had suspended Russian national teams and clubs from their competitions “until further notice”, in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This decision should therefore very likely prevent Russia from participating in the 2022 World Cup, the play-offs of which are scheduled for March. “Following the initial decisions taken by the FIFA Council and the UEFA Executive Committee, which provided for the adoption of additional measures, FIFA and UEFA have together decided to suspend all Russian teams from participating. in FIFA and UEFA competitions until further notice, whether for national teams or club teams,” the two bodies wrote in their press release.
“Football here is totally united and in full support of all those affected in Ukraine. Both presidents hope that the situation in Ukraine will improve significantly and quickly so that football can once again be a vehicle for unity and peace between the peoples.”
The Russians, hosts of the last World Cup in 2018, should therefore be disqualified from the play-offs of the next edition, which they must play at the end of March with a ticket in play for the tournament in Qatar scheduled for the end of 2022 (November 21-December 18). They are supposed to face Poland on March 24, but the Poles have repeatedly said they will refuse to play it, even on neutral ground.
The Russian women’s selection could not play the Euro in England either in July. Spartak Moscow, the last Russian club engaged in the European Cup this season, is also excluded. The Moscow club was to challenge Leipzig on March 10 in the knockout stages of the Europa League, which propels the Germans directly into the quarters.
UEFA ends its partnership with the Russian company Gazprom
UEFA has decided to end its partnership with the Russian company Gazprom “in all competitions”. The Union of European Football Associations announced it on Monday. This decision is the consequence of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. “The decision takes effect immediately and covers all existing agreements, including the Champions League, UEFA national team competitions and Euro 2024,” the body said.
The Russian gas giant, based in Saint Petersburg, has been one of UEFA’s main sponsors since 2012. The contract, extended in 2021, was estimated at 40 million euros per year according to specialist media.
Gazprom also gave its name to the Saint Petersburg stadium, where several Euro matches were held last summer. This stadium was withdrawn last Friday from the organization of the next Champions League final, relocated to France on May 28.
Earlier in the day, the German club Schalke 04 had also decided to terminate its contract with Gazprom. On Saturday, the club erased the name of the Russian company from its jerseys for its championship match.
Response from the Russian Federation, which shouts at “discrimination”
The Russian Football Federation on Monday denounced a “discriminatory” measure after the exclusion of its national team from the 2022 World Cup in reaction to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
In a press release, the federation said it “totally disagrees with the decision of Fifa and UEFA to suspend the Russian teams” and believes that this measure “will have a discriminatory effect on a large number of athletes, coaches, of club or national team employees”.
