On the third day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the sports world continues to react. Poland warned on Saturday February 26 that it refused to face the Russians in the 2022 World Cup play-off match, while the International Football Federation (FIFA) has so far not taken a position on this scheduled meeting. in Moscow.
The Poles were to go to Moscow on March 24 in the semi-final of the play-off, the winner of which will face Sweden or the Czech Republic in the final five days later, on a field designated by draw.
“Enough talk, it’s time to act. Due to the escalation of Russian aggression in Ukraine, the Poland team does not plan to play the play-off match against the Russian team”wrote on Twitter the president of the Polish Football Federation, Cezary Kulesza, adding that it was about “the only correct decision” in the face of the Russian military invasion of Ukraine, which began on Thursday. “We don’t want to play against Russia at all, whether on neutral ground or in Russia”told the World Jakub Kwiatkowski, Polish Football Federation press officer.
No more words, time to act! Due to the escalation of the aggression of the Russian Federation towards Ukraine the P… https://t.co/MbFszCYYVC
The Polish federation said it was working with the Swedish and Czech federations to present a common position to FIFA.
The Polish star, striker Robert Lewandowski, immediately welcomed this position. “It’s the right decision. I cannot imagine playing a match against the Russian national team in a situation where armed aggression in Ukraine continues”wrote the Bayern Munich player on Twitter. “Russian footballers and fans are not responsible, but we cannot pretend that nothing is happening. » Moreover, it is all the Polish internationals who shared this position in a press release.
It is the right decision! I can’t imagine playing a match with the Russian National Team in a situation when armed… https://t.co/a7aJW8aWpQ
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Gianni Infantino “concerned”
Asked by Agence France-Presse, FIFA did not react to this Polish announcement on Saturday morning. So far, the world football body has not yet taken any action against Russia, contenting itself on Thursday with saying “preoccupied” faced with a situation “tragic and disturbing”according to its president, Gianni Infantino.
“The first match is in a month, of course we hope that this situation will be resolved long before that, we want to firmly believe in it, but our office can take a decision at any time”added the leader at a press conference, while the Polish, Swedish and Czech federations had already officially asked to relocate the matches planned in Russia.
UEFA and Formula 1 bodies have taken action
Several international federations have taken measures since the start of the invasion on Thursday, starting with UEFA, the European football confederation, which withdrew the organization of the prestigious Champions League final from Saint Petersburg, the relocating to the Stade de France on May 28. UEFA has also announced that no match in its competitions could be played on Russian soil.
On the other hand, she did not exclude the last Russian clubs qualified for the European Cup: the Zenith Saint-Petersburg played in their round of 16 second leg of the Europa League on Thursday evening in Seville, being eliminated by Betis. There is therefore only one club left, Spartak Moscow, which faces RB Leipzig in the round of 16 of the same competition (March 10 in Leipzig, then March 17 on neutral ground).
The Formula 1 Grand Prix in Sochi, scheduled for September, has already been canceled, like all ski competitions scheduled in Russia until the end of winter. The International Olympic Committee has called on all international sports federations to do the same, including for the events planned in Belarus, also asking to ban Russian and Belarusian flags and anthems from competitions.
Several sponsorship contracts with Russian groups have already been terminated by clubs and sports bodies. And big names in the sport have raised their voices.
The appeal of Russian athletes
Several sponsorship contracts with Russian groups have already been terminated by clubs and sports bodies. And big names in Russian sport have dared to speak out against the war.
Russian ice hockey star Alexander Ovechkin pleaded for peace: “Please no more war. (…) We must live in peace”, he implored after training in Philadelphia. This message is also carried by the tennis player Andrey Rublev or the football international Fedor Smolov.
Russian Team Ineos cyclist Pavel Sivakov also opposes “completely at war”. “Most Russians only want peace and never asked for this to happen”he wrote on social networks.
