Can FIFA Ban Russia from the World Cup?
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has sparked debate about the potential consequences for Russia’s participation in international sporting events, including the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar. legal experts are examining FIFA’s statutes to determine if the institution has grounds to impose severe sanctions on the Russian Football Federation, perhaps even expulsion from the tournament.
While FIFA’s rules don’t explicitly mention war as a reason for sanctioning a member federation, legal experts like Toni Roca, director of the sports Law Institute, argue that existing provisions could be interpreted to address this situation.
Roca points to Article 4 of the FIFA Statutes, which prohibits discrimination based on nationality and emphasizes FIFA’s neutrality in political and religious matters. However, the article also acknowledges exceptions when such matters directly impact FIFA’s objectives.
“A broad interpretation of this precept could classify war as an act that undermines FIFA’s statutory objectives,” Roca explains.He further suggests that Articles 16 and 17 provide legal grounds for FIFA to impose harsh penalties on the Russian Federation for its actions in Ukraine.
These articles empower FIFA’s Congress to temporarily suspend or even expel a federation for serious violations of FIFA’s statutes, regulations, or decisions, or for failing to fulfill its obligations.
The 1992 exclusion of Yugoslavia from the European Championship due to the Balkan War offers a precedent,albeit with critically important differences. Denmark replaced Yugoslavia just days before the tournament, ultimately winning the championship.while the UN Security Council’s sports embargo against yugoslavia played a crucial role in that decision, FIFA’s then-president, Sepp Blatter, initially expressed reluctance to mix politics and football.
However,the current geopolitical landscape presents a more complex scenario. Russia, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council with veto power, is in a vastly different position than Yugoslavia was in 1992.”Its difficult to imagine Russia approving a punishment of this magnitude against itself,” Roca analyzes.”Moreover,Russia’s global influence far surpasses Yugoslavia’s at that time. Sanctioning Russia in 2022 would undoubtedly be a more challenging undertaking than punishing Yugoslavia in 1992.”
The potential ramifications of FIFA’s decision extend beyond the football field, raising questions about the role of sports in international relations and the balance between political neutrality and ethical duty.
