This was because Moscow was being penalized for its invasion in Ukraine.
FIFA, the world soccer body, and UEFA, the European authority for soccer banned Russian club and national teams from competitions “until more notice.” Russia’s men’s national team was scheduled to participate in World Cup qualifying playoffs within three weeks.
FIFA and UEFA jointly stated that “Football was fully united here” and they are in solidarity with all those affected in Ukraine.
After the International Olympic Committee forced dozens of sports governing body to exclude Russian officials and athletes from international events, high-level punishments involving politics and sports were introduced.
This was necessary to “protect integrity of global sporting competitions and ensure safety for all participants,” said the IOC.
Russia’s absence from the international stage could be a blow for the country financially and psychologically. It also might tarnish its reputation as a sports powerhouse.
FIFA has withdrawn Russia from the World Cup, ahead of the qualifying playoff scheduled for March 24. Poland had already refused to play against Russia.
UEFA also took Spartak Moscow out of the Europa League’s second-tier Europa League, the last Russians participating in European club competitions. UEFA announced that Spartak’s opponent, Leipzig of Germany on March 10, and 17 respectively, will advance directly to the quarterfinals.
Russia is now facing the same isolation that Yugoslavian athletes and teams experienced in 1992, when war broke out in Balkans.
In 1964, FIFA suspended South Africa and expelled it in 1976 for apartheid. It was then reinstated in 1992. Shortly after sanctions were approved by the U.N. against Yugoslavia, Yugoslavia was removed from the 1992 European Championship. It was banned from qualifying for the 1994 World Cup, but it was allowed to emerge as a separate nation.
Appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport can usually be made against FIFA and UEFA decisions. In a statement, the Football Union of Russia stated that it would “reserved the right to contest” the decision.
Russia coach Valery Karpin said, “I feel sorry about my boys.” They had hoped to play at the World Cup. Their hope has now been dashed.”
Hockey also followed suit with NHL and international officials also punishing Russia.
The International Ice Hockey Federation has banned Russia and its close ally Belarus from all competitions at any age level and stated that it would move the 2023 world junior championships out of Siberia.
The NHL condemned the invasion and suspended all business dealings with Russia. It also ruled out any possibility of hosting events in Russia in the future.
The league stated that they remain concerned about the health and well-being Russian players who are playing in the NHL for their NHL clubs and not Russia. We understand that they and their families are in a very difficult situation.
It was unclear how these decisions would affect Russian tennis players including Daniil Medvedev (top-ranked) in Grand Slam, ATP, and WTA tournaments that were not under the jurisdiction of the International Tennis Federation.
Also, the IOC went after President Vladimir Putin who made the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics a personal project. The IOC stated that Putin’s gold Olympic Order, which was presented in 2001, had been withdrawn.
The Olympic body also called for athletes and officials from Belarus. Belarus has allowed Russia to use its territory to launch military attacks and station troops.
Although the IOC stated that it acted “with heavy hearts,” the IOC noted that the effects of war on Ukrainian athletes and sportsmen outweighed any potential damage to Russian and Belarusian athletes.
The IOC did not prohibit all countries, but it was not a blanket ban.
The IOC stated that if exclusion is not possible due to organizational or legal reasons, then teams from Russia or Belarus can compete as neutral athletes without any national flag, anthem, or symbols. This includes at the forthcoming Winter Paralympics, which will be held in Beijing.
Stanislav Pozdnyakov, the Russian Olympic Committee leader, stated in a statement that “there is only one observation to make — We categorically disagree.” He added that it would be beneficial for national federations and help them to challenge discriminatory rulings.
On Monday, European sports bodies had already reacted against Russia by refusing to host or play for its teams.
Finland demands that Russia’s hockey team is banned from the men’s world championships it hosts in May. The Swiss soccer federation stated that its women’s soccer team would not face Russia at the European Championship in July. Schalke, a German soccer club, said it had ended its long-standing partnership with Gazprom.
Russia’s future rivals, the Czech Republic and Sweden, joined Poland in declaring that they would not take the field at the World Cup. The World Cup will begin in Qatar on Nov. 21.
FIFA tried to compromise Sunday’s game by suggesting Russia play at neutral venues, without its flag or anthem, and under the “Football Union of Russia” name.
These sanctions were imposed by CAS in Dec 2020 to punish Russia’s state-backed doping. They were also applied last year at the Tokyo Olympics and at this year’s Winter Games.
Cezary Kulesza, president of the Polish soccer federation, said Sunday that it was “totally unacceptable” that FIFA has not expelled Russia immediately from World Cup qualifying. He also stated that Poland is “not interested” in playing in this game.
Albania also stated Sunday that it will not play against Russia in any sport. Russia and Albania will meet twice in June at the UEFA Nations League soccer tournament.
The governing body of hockey has been under pressure from Finland, Switzerland, and Belarus to ban Russia, and Belarus due to be playing at the world championships in Helsinki and Tampere in May.
Harri Nummela, chairman of Finnish Hockey Association, stated Monday that talks had been held with the IIHF in Zurich to exclude these two countries from international hockey. ___
