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FIFA, the global governing body of world football, has decided to place an indefinite ban on Russia and its teams, barring the country from participating in the 2022 World Cup just weeks before Europe plays in one of the tournament’s final places.
FIFA’s decision, to be announced on Monday evening, comes a day after the organization was heavily criticized for not going far enough in punishing Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. On Sunday, FIFA proposed a series of sanctions against Russia – including a temporary ban on its name, flag and anthem, and banning it from hosting international matches. requests from several national federations for stronger action.
The first push to block Russia came from Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic, who faced the prospect of playing against Russia in the World Cup play-offs. Other countries and authorities, including federations in France, England, and other countries United Statesquickly said that under no circumstances would they play against Russia.
Officials from UEFA, the governing body of European football, will join FIFA to enact and enforce the ban.
FIFA and UEFA decided to ban Russia just hours after the International Olympic Committee called on international sports federations to ban Russian athletes and teams from participating in all possible global sporting events. Olympic officials said Russia violated a commitment known as the Olympic Truce, which it signed before the Beijing Winter Games began and was scheduled to get through the Paralympic Games, which will begin this week by invading Ukraine.
The immediate result of the ban against Russia will have to forfeit its place in the four-team grouping for one of Europe’s last places at the World Cup. Poland, which is scheduled to play against Russia in March, said it would refuse to play this game, which he repeated after FIFA announced its first penalty list on Sunday night. Sweden and the Czech Republic, which could face Russia in the final match if the Russians beat Poland, also made the same warning.
The head of the Polish football federation, Cezary Kulesza, described FIFA’s initial decision not to remove Russia as “totally unacceptable”. In a post on Twitter, he added: “We are not interested in participating in this appearance game. Our stance has not changed: the Polish National Team will NOT play against Russia, whatever the name of the team.”
The indefinite ban against Russia also extends to club teams, meaning that Spartak Moscow, the last remaining entrant in a continental competition, will no longer be able to compete in the Europa League qualifier against Germany’s RB Leipzig. This match was already in doubt before Monday’s decision, and officials are unsure how the Russian team will be able to travel after the European Union imposed a general ban on Russian flights to the 27-member bloc.
It remains unclear whether the decision to exclude Russia will face a challenge in the courts. Russia and some of its athletes have successfully battled exclusion from other events, including the Olympic Games, in recent years by filing with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, diluting the sentences. Q
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