Russia Banned From World Cup and Other Competitions Amid Backlash and Boycotts

Sports

FIFA has reversed its decision to allow Russia to compete on the world stage, announcing Russia would be “suspended from participation” in competitions “until further notice.”

The full statement reads: 

“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.

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.

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.”

The decision to overturn their previous ruling, allowing Russia to play at neutral grounds without spectators, was made after backlash from other countries and associations to boycotts of major global partners.

The global players union FIFPRO also made it clear in their statement that they did not support FIFA’s initial decision, saying, “FIFPRO strongly disagrees with the Bureau of the FIFA Council’s decision, which fails to protect the players or provide clear leadership for our sport by imposing the lightest of sanctions on the Russian Football Union.” 

Russian companies were dealt another blow as major sponsor and energy giant Gazprom had their $62 million partnership with the football association torn up. Russian Football Union President Alexander Dyukov is also CEO at Gazprom Neft, the petrol branch of Gazprom. In 2021, he was also “elected a voting member of the UEFA Executive Committee for a four-year term.”

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted in response to the news of Russia’s ban.

This is a powerful message from the international sporting community that we will not tolerate Putin's abhorrent assaults on freedom and liberty. Well done FIFA and UEFA. https://t.co/kpcLTM0Xcy

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) February 28, 2022

The UEFA Europa League Round of 16 matches between RB Leipzig and Spartak Moscow have now been canceled. UEFA said Leipzig would qualify straight through to the quarter-finals.

According to News.com.au, Russia made a statement about the decision, saying, “It has an obvious discriminatory character and harms a huge number of athletes, coaches, employees of clubs and national teams, and most importantly, millions of Russian and foreign fans, whose interests international sports organisations must protect in the first place.”

A quick decision was required, as Russia was due to play Poland in a World Cup qualifier on March 25, before Poland announced they would boycott the game, while the World Cup draw will be held on April 1.