Home games of the “Sbornaja” should therefore only take place on neutral ground and without spectators. At the same time, FIFA threatened to ban the country if the situation didn’t improve quickly. The decision of the office of the FIFA Council, in consultation with the six presidents of the continental associations, was taken unanimously, the statement said.
The world association based its decision on the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Accordingly, the Russian anthem and flag should not be used in international competitions. Teams compete under the name Football Union of Russia.
Refusal to play against Russia
They are in contact with the associations of Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic “in order to find appropriate and acceptable solutions together,” said a FIFA statement on Sunday evening. Before that, Russia’s three possible World Cup play-off opponents had announced that they would not play against Russia under any circumstances.
After the Polish and Swedish, the Czech Football Association also announced on Sunday that it “under no circumstances” wants to play against Russia. According to the original plan, Poland were to play in Russia first in the play-off, with the winner five days later playing the winner of the game between Sweden and the Czech Republic at home. “Three associations – that shows what solidarity means,” tweeted the Polish association president Cezary Kulesza on Sunday.
votes for expulsion
French federation boss Noel Le Graet was the first senior official to bring up Russia’s exclusion from the competition on Sunday. “That’s my first impulse,” the 80-year-old, who sits on the FIFA Council, told the newspaper “Le Parisien”. “I will certainly not object to the exclusion of Russia.”
The European Football Union (UEFA), which had already stripped St. Petersburg of the Champions League final, announced further emergency meetings of its Executive Committee. The most important and probably also the most influential lender is still the Russian energy giant Gazprom, which is highly controversial in Europe.
FIFA and UEFA, which have been close to Russian President Vladimir Putin for years, have condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but have so far not banned Russian teams or Russian money from their competitions.
