Even if it may seem incidental, or even totally futile in the current context, the Ukraine-Russia conflict will also have many consequences in the sporting field. The territory of the first will necessarily no longer be accessible for a period that is still impossible to estimate, while the second is exposed to heavy sanctions and bans from the various international sports bodies.
While it had organized the 2018 Football World Cup on its soil, and even offered to host all of Euro 2020 (and not just a few matches) when the covid pandemic struck all over the world. European continent, Russia is no doubt about to have to give up on its forthcoming international organisations.
So, how can we imagine today that the Champions League final scheduled for May 28 in Saint Petersburg in the … Gazprom Arena can be organized there as if nothing had happened? UEFA called an extraordinary meeting for Friday. It will be about moving the final (why not to Wembley, as the British press suggests). And this request from the European Parliament which encourages UEFA to review its links with the Russian gas supplier Gazprom, main sponsor of the Champions League and Euro 2024 planned in Germany.
Another request, that of the Polish Football Federation (PZPN), which wishes to obtain clarification on the play-off match for the 2022 World Cup which it must play next month … in Russia. “The Polish Football Association has asked FIFA to urgently clarify all issues related to the organization of the match“, said the PZPN in a press release published on its site, adding that it is “to offer players optimal conditions for preparation and performance during international matches.“The PZPN recognizes that political decisions, such as possible sanctions against Russia, remain the responsibility of state authorities and international bodies. But”aware of the potential threats related to the current situation“, the Polish leaders say “await the position of the governing bodies of the world federationThe semi-final of the play-offs between Russia and Poland is scheduled for March 24. Three days later, the winner must receive Sweden or the Czech Republic in the final qualifying round.
In the same vein, what about the Sochi Formula 1 GP, scheduled for September 23-25? Or the world volleyball championships, scheduled from August 26 to September 11 in Moscow, Kemerovo, Novosibirsk, Ufa, Ekaterinburg and Krasnoyarsk?
