FIFA, UEFA Suspend Russia From All Football Competitions

The international football federation FIFA and its European affiliate UEFA have jointly suspended Russian clubs and its national team from all competitions for an indefinite period for the country’s continued invasion of Ukraine.

The FIFA/UEFA decision came after the football associations of Poland, the Czech Republic and Sweden communicated that they were not ready to play Russia in the World Cup 2022 qualifiers for waging a war with Ukraine.

“Following the initial decisions adopted by the FIFA Council and the UEFA Executive Committee, which 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,” both FIFA and UEFA informed via statements on their respective official websites.

“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,” FIFA said in its statement.

Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine. Both Presidents (FIFA and UEFA) 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, the statement said.

Earlier, the Bureau of the FIFA Council had decided not to orgnise any events in Russia until further notice and that Russia should participate under the nam” “Football Union of Russia (RF”)” and no” “Russ”a”.

The FIFA panel on Monday decided that no flag or anthem of Russia will be used in matches where teams from the Football Union of Russia participate.

However, the Polish football federation said the action taken by FIFA was not sufficient.