Fifa Called to Exclude Russia From World Cup

FIFA Faces Mounting Pressure to Ban Russia from 2022 World Cup

The international football community is demanding decisive action from FIFA following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While FIFA initially opted for a less severe approach, mandating Russia to compete under a neutral banner and on neutral ground, this decision has been met with widespread criticism and outright rejection.

Several nations, including Poland, the Czech Republic, and Sweden, have declared their refusal to play against Russia in the upcoming World Cup qualifying play-offs scheduled for late March. These countries view FIFA’s sanctions as insufficient and believe that allowing Russia to participate in any capacity legitimizes the ongoing aggression.

Poland’s Football Federation president, Cezary Kulesza, condemned FIFA’s decision as “totally unacceptable,” emphasizing that his team would not participate in a “match of appearances.” The Swedish Football Federation echoed this sentiment, expressing disappointment and reaffirming their commitment to working with other federations to prevent Russia from competing in the World Cup qualifiers.

FIFA, facing mounting pressure, has acknowledged the ongoing dialog with these dissenting federations and hinted at the possibility of further sanctions, including a potential ban on Russia from all competitions. This potential exclusion is reportedly under “advanced discussions,” according to sources familiar with the situation.

Notably,Noël Le Graët,president of the French football Federation and a member of the FIFA Council,has publicly supported the exclusion of Russia from the World Cup,stating that “the world of sport,and especially football,cannot remain neutral.” The English Football Association has also announced a boycott of all future matches against Russia.

FIFA finds itself at a crossroads. It must choose between upholding the demands of numerous national teams and perhaps barring Russian players from the World Cup,or risk further damage to its reputation by allowing Russia to qualify by default due to the withdrawal of opposing teams.

As Wojciech Szczesny, Poland’s goalkeeper, pointed out, the international community is watching closely. The decision FIFA makes will have far-reaching consequences, not only for the future of the World Cup but also for the integrity of international sports in the face of geopolitical conflict.