Crimea is de jure in Ukraine and de facto annexed by Russia. Crimean clubs FC Sevastopol and Rubin Yalta are visibly in favor of a fait accompli. These two teams have just played their first game in the Russian fourth division this Sunday.
This decision goes against the regulations of UEFA, the governing body of European football, and did not fail to react to the Ukrainian Federation: “It is a clear violation of international law and a gross injustice for Ukraine. Russia’s occupation of Crimea is illegal and all sporting events conducted by the Russian Football Federation in the occupied region must be stopped.”
As a sanction, Ukrainian leaders ask international bodies to “no longer recognize these clubs and apply sanctions against Russia”.
