UEFA has returned Russian teams under the age of 17 to official international competitions.
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They are allowed to compete in tournaments in a neutral status – without a flag and anthem, and are also prohibited from holding games on Russian territory.
Previously, UEFA and FIFA suspended all Russian national teams and clubs from this country from competitions under their auspices in 2022. This decision by the governing bodies was the result of a full-scale Muscovite invasion of Ukraine. Consequently, the Russian men’s team did not take part in the selection for the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 European Championship. At the club level, representatives of this country remain outside the European competition for the second season in a row.
UEFA’s decision today during an executive committee meeting in Warsaw states that “children should not be punished for actions for which responsibility rests solely with adults” and UEFA firmly believes that football should never abandon its message of peace and hope.”
It is especially unfortunate that due to the conflict (as UEFA called the causeless and unprovoked war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine – “Rakurs”), a generation of minors is deprived of the right to compete in international football. For these reasons, the UEFA Executive Committee has decided that Russian teams will be allowed back into their competitions during this season. In this regard, the Executive Committee appealed to the UEFA administration with a request to propose a technical solution that would allow the restoration of the Russian U17 teams (both girls and boys), even if the draw had already taken place. All matches of Russian teams are played without the country’s flag and anthem,
The Executive Committee again condemned Russia’s illegal war and confirmed that the suspension from all other Russian teams (clubs and national teams) will remain in force until the end of the conflict in Ukraine.
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin said that “by prohibiting children from participating in our competitions, we not only fail to recognize and support the fundamental right to their holistic development, but also directly discriminate.”
UEFA hopes that “by providing the opportunity to play and compete with peers from across Europe, we are investing in what we hope will be brighter, more capable future generations and a better tomorrow.”
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.