Russian clubs and teams cast out of football, including World Cup, as FIFA, UEFA act on invasion of Ukraine
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Updated 28/02/2022 at 17:46 GMT
Russia will not be able to compete at the men's World Cup in Qatar or the Women's Euro 2022 after being banned from international competition by FIFA and UEFA. The governing bodies made the decision after Russia president Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine. The International Olympic Committee has recommended that all Russians and Belarusian athletes should be blocked from competing.
Russia striker Fedor Smolov
Image credit: Getty Images
FIFA and UEFA have jointly announced that Russian clubs and national teams are suspended from all competitions until further notice following the invasion of Ukraine.
The move means that Russia will not be able to compete at the men’s 2022 World Cup in Qatar or the women’s Euro 2022 in England, while Spartak Moscow will be forced out of the Europa League.
The decision was reached in the wake of Russian president Vladimir Putin launching a full-scale attack on neighbouring Ukraine last week.
"FIFA and UEFA have today decided together that all Russian teams, whether national representative teams or club teams, shall be suspended from participation in both FIFA and UEFA competitions until further notice," read the joint statement.
"Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine. Both presidents hope that the situation in Ukraine will improve significantly and rapidly so that football can again be a vector for unity and peace amongst people."
Meanwhile, UEFA has also cut ties with sponsors Gazprom, the Russian energy giant. Gazprom is one of the world’s largest natural gas firms and has close ties to the Russian government, given it is partly state-owned.
FIFA had drawn criticism over the weekend when it said that Russia would still be able to compete, as long as it played games away from home and under the name ‘Football Union of Russia’.
Russia had been scheduled to face Poland in a World Cup qualifying play-off on March 24, but the Polish FA said they would refuse to participate in the match.
England, Sweden and the Czech Republic have also said they will not play any matches against Russia for the foreseeable future.
A Football Association statement said: "Out of solidarity with Ukraine and to wholeheartedly condemn the atrocities being committed by the Russian leadership, the FA can confirm that we won't play against Russia in any international fixtures for the foreseeable future.
"This includes any potential match at any level of senior age group or para football."
The Champions League final has also been switched from St Petersburg to Paris while the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Sochi has been cancelled.
RB Leipzig will get a bye into the Europa League quarter-finals with opponents Spartak now out.
The International Olympic Committee has recommended that all Russians and Belarusian athletes should be blocked from competing for their countries.
It puts pressure on the International Paralympic Committee ahead of the start of the Beijing Winter Games on Friday, though the IOC has noted in its statement that it might be too short notice to do anything about it - advising it to “find its own way to effectively address the dilemma.”
The IOC says if athletes cannot be blocked from competition, Russia and Belarus should not compete under their flag - as is already the case with Russia because of its recent doping scandals.
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