UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has announced that Russian football teams will remain banned from international competitions until the war in Ukraine ends.
Ceferin confirmed that both UEFA and world governing body FIFA face continuous political pressure to reinstate Russian teams, but insisted that sanctions will not be lifted while the invasion continues.
Speaking on the YouTube show The Rest is Politics: Leading and The Rest is Football, the Slovenian official stated that the ongoing war makes the participation of Russian club and national teams in European tournaments impossible.
Ban remains despite Olympic easing
Russian athletes and national teams were banned from international sports events shortly after Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. More than four years after the restrictions were introduced, the International Olympic Committee decided to temporarily suspend sanctions against the Russian Olympic Committee, opening a path for Russian competitors to seek qualification for the Olympic Games.
Several governing bodies followed the move by the Olympic authority, including the International Volleyball Federation, which faced widespread criticism across the sport for easing its restrictions. However, European football authority UEFA and world governing body FIFA have refused to alter their stance.
Sympathy for young athletes
Ceferin expressed regret over the impact of the sanctions on individual competitors who have been unable to participate in international events for four years. He said it was sad that athletes could not compete, but explained that it was currently impossible to reach any other decision.
The UEFA chief noted that many Russian sportspeople do not support the war in Ukraine and are suffering because of political actions beyond their control. He highlighted the situation facing young competitors under the age of 18 who do not possess voting rights.
Asking why 17-year-old boys and girls should be excluded from youth competitions, Ceferin said that young athletes bear no responsibility for the war started by the Russian leadership. Despite political efforts to press for their return, he reiterated that no Russian teams will be readmitted until the war comes to an end.
