October 26 – The Ukrainian Football Association has called on FIFA and UEFA to extend their ban on Russia to include its national federation because of the likely integration of Ukrainian clubs based in the occupied territories into the Russian league.
The two bodies have already banned Russian clubs from international competition because of the invasion of Ukraine but have so far stopped short of kicking out the Russian Football Union.
One of the reasons for that, although not stated publicly, is that Russia is a member of UEFA’s executive committee. But UFA president Andrey Pavelko said he had sent an “immediate appeal” to FIFA and UEFA “with a demand to apply the most stringent sanctions against the RFU.”
Pavelko explained that the action has been taken due to Russia’s plan to allow teams newly seized regions of Ukraine to compete in Russian leagues.
Last month Russia announced it had annexed the regions of Kherson and Zaporozhye, in addition to the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, following a people’s vote described in the west as a total sham.
“We will demand the exclusion of the RFU from UEFA and FIFA for gross violation of the charters of these organisations,” said Pavelko.
Russia is already banned from the Euro 2024 qualifying competition and Pavelko has also requested a planned friendly match between Russia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, scheduled to take place in St. Petersburg next month, be scrapped.
“We are doing everything possible to prevent the match from taking place,” he said.
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