The Russian invasion into Ukraine took another turn on Monday evening as FIFA and UEFA have announced the suspension of Russian clubs and national teams from participating in national team and club competitions.
This was announced in a statement by FIFA on Monday evening.
This also comes as the national team of Poland, Czech Republic and Sweden all announced that they will refuse to play against Russia in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
What FIFA/UEFA said in the joint statement
FIFA stated that following the initial decisions adopted by the FIFA Council and the UEFA Executive Committee, which decisions envisaged the adoption of additional measures, “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.
“These decisions were adopted today by the Bureau of the FIFA Council and the Executive Committee of UEFA, respectively the highest decision-making bodies of both institutions on such urgent matters.
They added that football is fully united in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine, highlighting that 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.
In case you missed it
- English Premier League club, Manchester United put an end to a 10-year partnership with their official team carrier, Aeroflot, amidst Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
- Other clubs, such as German side Schalke, are also ending their association with Russian companies and they are no longer sponsored by Gazprom, Russian state-owned energy company.
- The UEFA executive committee held an emergency meeting on Friday and decided to move the Champions League final already scheduled to hold in St Petersburg on May 28 to Stade de France, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
- UEFA’s executive committee also said Russian and Ukrainian clubs and national teams competing in UEFA competitions will be required to play their home matches at neutral venues until further notice.
