Although the European Football Union (UEFA) and the International Football Federation (FIFA) have excluded Russian teams from the competition, Russian football official Alexei Sorokin is participating in the FIFA Congress. And he could be heard on it.
On the other hand, the representatives of Ukrainian football at the FIFA Congress in Qatar are missing. The chairman of the Ukrainian Union, Andrij Pavelko, recorded an emotional video in which he is wearing a bulletproof vest.
“We regularly receive sad news of the deaths of members of the Ukrainian football community. They were killed by the rockets of aggressors from one of the largest armies in the world. Football in our country has receded,” said Pavelko, whose country hosted the Champions League final four years ago in Kiev.
“I’ve known him for a long time. We’re sorry he’s going through this. But it’s complicated, I understand. It must be hard for them, but I’m not here to talk about politics or military action. I’m here for the FIFA Congress, “said Sorokin, former secretary general and director general of the Russian Football Association.
Ukraine is represented at the congress by its ambassador to Qatar, Andriy Kuzmenko, according to whom Russian footballers should be expelled from FIFA. After attacking Ukraine at the end of February, Russian teams were eliminated from international competitions.
Among other things, Russia lost the opportunity to compete in the World Cup against Poland. An appeal to the International Sports Arbitration in Lausanne failed.
However, according to Sorokin, Russian football should not be punished for what is happening in Ukraine. He also expressed disappointment that UEFA had taken over St. Petersburg’s organization of the May Champions League final, which it had awarded to Paris.
“What has Russian football got to do with it, what has Russia done wrong? I do not find any clause in FIFA’s statutes that Russian football would violate. The removal of the Champions League final was accepted by Russian fans with disappointment,” Sorokin said.
However, the official reiterated that Russia is interested in running for the European Championships in 2028, or 2032. “I mean seriously that Russia will be able to organize global events. Technically, it is already able to do so,” said Sorokin, who was executive. Director in charge of organizing the World Cup in 2018.
“We have everything you need. We have experience, sports infrastructure, a passion for sports, especially football. In addition, we have a lot of football fans in our country,” said Sorokin.
Russia has not yet specified whether it will focus its attention on the organization of Euro 2028 or four years later.
The associations of England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Ireland submitted an application for the joint organization of the championship in 2028 last week. Another candidate is Turkey. Italy has so far shown interest in Euro 2032.
“There is still a long time to go until 2032. Some countries have submitted proposals so far. Later, we will have a better idea of what year each country will focus on,” Sorokin said.
At the congress, FIFA boss Gianni Infantino praised the 2018 World Cup in Russia as a “great sporting and cultural achievement”. “Obviously, this has not solved the problems in the world or in the region. It has not brought lasting peace,” the Swiss-Italian official said today.
He did not condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine in his speech, nor did he mention President Vladimir Putin, who awarded Infantine the Order of Friendship after the World Cup.
