By Andrew Warshaw
November 22 – Evidence that Vitaly Mutko is back in favour within the Russian Football Union (RFU) hierarchy has been given further credence by the fact that he was present at the RFU’s executive committee meeting this week, having stepped aside from his role as president late last year.
Mutko, Russia’s deputy Prime Minister, was banned from the Olympics for life over his country’s recent doping scandals and stepped down as chief organiser of the World Cup last summer following mounting global criticism.
Having been accused of being involved in state-sponsored doping – allegations he denied – Mutko confirmed he would relinquish the RFU presidency for a period of up to six months while he contested the IOC ban.
He had already been removed from the ruling FIFA Council but has not, by all accounts, been formally replaced as RFU boss and took part in a meeting on Wednesday to back Gianni Infantino’s ‘s re-election bid next year as president of FIFA.
“On Wednesday, November 21, an extended meeting of the Bureau of the RFU Executive Committee took place in Moscow, including with the participation of V.L. Mutko,” a statement read.
The fact that RFU has still not given any clarification on Mutko’s actual status does little to enhance its credibility and opens the door to considerable conjecture as to whether he is fulfilling the presidential role in practise if not in name.
Even after formally stepping aside, he remained closely linked with Russian football and reportedly attended Russia’s training sessions during the World Cup.
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