As the governing body for football, FIFA, has concluded suspending Russian and Belarusian athletes from organised international competitions, it has put a hold on Russia’s presence in the Men’s World Cup qualification play-offs this summer, a massive blow for the respective football fans who will be unable to watch the athletes represent their country.
The International Olympics Committee has also come forward, urging sports governing bodies to not allow the Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as a result of the ‘breach of Olympic Truce’ which is to promote and protect the peace, dialogue and reconciliation through sports and athletes around the world, as broadly as possible. Allowing Russian athletes to compete would only invalidate the agreement set by the countries in the Olympics, reports BBC Sports.
The football federations of Poland, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Ireland had also released official statements regarding the sentiment of unwillingness to play against the team of Russia in the semi-final play-offs. Russia is most likely to be banned from international football by FIFA and has advanced talks with UEFA regarding its stance. Lucy Powell, the Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has also fully supported the suggestion by the FA.
The decision of FIFA has quite shook the football world by surprise as the advance talks to ban them until further notice was not expected in such short notice. But the individual federations like CONMEBOL and the Asian confederation have made their stance clear about the refusal to be present against Russia.
It is visible that football is insignificant in the grand scheme of things but public disapproval against international tournaments could be a choice in expression for most countries to use amidst the crisis in Ukraine.