FIFA, UEFA BANS ANY RUSSIAN TEAMS FROM INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
After being suspended from the Olympics, Russian football will also be banned from playing in any international matches as FIFA and EUFA joined the action.
Following the recommendation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Russia was also suspended from international football by FIFA and EUFA. All Russian teams will be suspended from participating in the FIFA and European competitions until further notice.
The decisions were made by the Executive Committee and the Bureau of FIFA in response to the situation concerning the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The football world is fully united in support of the people affected by the situation in Ukraine. Both Presidents in both organizations, along with the FIFA Executive Committee hope that the situation will improve.
The decision to suspend Russia from the global sports competitions was made to ensure the safety and integrity of the competitions.
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Countries boycotting Russia
Under heavy criticism from the international community, FIFA President Gianni Infantino had expressed his desire to resolve the situation in time for the March 24 match between Russia and Poland. FIFA will not allow Russia to play at home and must play as "Football Union of Russia".
According to other football associations from the same World Cup qualifying group as Russia, FIFA's actions were insufficient to convince them to reverse their decision. As a result, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Sweden were left out of the FIFA World Cup, stating they did not want to play any team representing Russia.
The U.S. Soccer Federation also joined the calls to boycott Russia's participation in the international football tournament. In a statement, the organization noted that it would not participate in the event if Russia proceeds with its invasion of Ukraine.
"The U.S. Soccer Federation stands united with the people of Ukraine and is unequivocal in our denunciation of the heinous and inhumane invasion by Russia. We will neither tarnish our global game nor dishonor Ukraine, by taking the same field as Russia, no matter the level of competition or circumstance, until freedom and peace have been restored. #WeStandWithUkraine," the official statement read.
Due to Russia's exclusion from the tournament, some of the successful teams in the Nations League could be rewarded with a bye or a third spot. Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia are the frontrunners for the third spot of the qualifier second round.
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European football's governing body has also terminated the company's sponsorship deal with Russia's energy giant Gazprom. Moreover, UEFA is also working to remove the Russian women's team from the upcoming European Championships.
For the last Russian team in the European club competition, Spartak Moscow will be kicked out of the Europa League. As a result, German team RB Leipzig will meet a bye for the quarterfinals.
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