Media: UEFA still says no to Russia

UEFA’s governing body turns around and still says no to Russia in the junior national team tournament.

This is what Sky Sports reported Rob Harris And the New York Times Tariq Banga.

– UEFA is forced to abandon its plans to allow Russian under-17 teams to play, because opposition means there is no practical way forward, Banga writes on X.

Harris also writes that this is practically impossible, because many states oppose it.

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, 55, has come under intense pressure in recent days after as many as 12 of UEFA’s 55 national associations said they refuse to play against Russia.

This applies to: England, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Romania, Ireland, Denmark and of course Ukraine.

This means that it will be practically difficult for UEFA to hold tournaments in which Russian youth teams participate.

Two weeks ago, the UEFA Governing Council decided to once again allow Russia and Belarus to participate in the Under-17 category. Russia has been banned from participating in UEFA tournaments since Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022. UEFA’s decision was justified by the fact that children should not be punished for actions caused by adults alone.

The UEFA Board of Directors, or the “Executive Committee” as it is called, is made up of 17 men and women. These include Vladimir Putin’s husband, Alexander Dyukov, who is CEO of state-owned subsidiary Gazprom and president of the Russian Football Federation.

– We were not aware that this issue would be dealt with by UEFA, and we should be able to expect better case management from UEFA in such an important matter. Announcing the first decision, Lise Klavenes, President of the Norwegian Football Association, said: “We stick to our position that Norwegian teams should not play against Russian teams as long as the war continues.”

on Youtube There is a video from the UEFA-sponsored tournament in which Russia uses the flag and national anthem.

– These are developmental tournaments in the U-16 category, and are not official UEFA competitions. They are therefore not affected by the sanctions, UEFA told the German TV channel Answer.

The German Football Association has backed UEFA’s decision to allow Russian and Belarusian teams. The German government responded strongly, according to ARD.

Interior Minister Nancy Vizer (SPD), who includes sport in her portfolio, stated that this was “absolutely the wrong way forward” and that “full solidarity for sport should go to Ukraine.”