After the World Anti-Doping Agency imposed sanctions on Russian sports and decided to postpone all the planned major competitions from the country, football fans from Russia were primarily concerned about what would happen to the Euro 2020 matches and the Champions League final, which St. Petersburg should host Petersburg

The general director of the organizing committee of the Russian part of the European Championship Alexei Sorokin in an interview with RT assured football fans that these competitions will not be postponed. He also explained why nothing prevents the Russian team from qualifying for the World Cup in Qatar, although the WADA has banned the participation of Russians in major competitions.

- WADA sanctions will not lead to a ban on holding Euro 2020 in St. Petersburg. Relieved to accept the information?

- We expected that the WADA decision would not affect the Russian organizers of the upcoming Euro 2020. This is a continental tournament, not a world or multisports tournament. We have already heard from WADA officials that for this reason what is happening now does not concern us. Doping has never been a problem for our football. We were tested a lot before world-class competitions, and we did not have a single positive doping test. For football, this is not such an important topic.

- How big are the image losses that this decision can bring? Or did the 2018 World Cup create the necessary shield?

- There is no shield. For that matter, our “shield” is pure football players, the ability to organize major international competitions and the ability of the Russian Football Union to cooperate with anti-doping structures. This is our reputation. Of course, it is unpleasant that this all happened, but we are still in the initial phase of restoring the dialogue between Russia and the relevant anti-doping organizations. Let's see what this leads to. The interaction between the sports federations will continue, and we will see what effect will be from the entry into force of the WADA recommendations.

- Is it fair to say that the proximity of the competitions and the certain independence of the UEFA played a major role in the fact that Russia did not lose Euro 2020 and the Champions League final in 2021?

- On this subject, I can only speculate. But there are two serious reasons to believe why these competitions were not at risk from the start. Firstly, these are continental tournaments. Secondly, WADA itself made a reservation that competitions from Russia should be postponed, but only when there are legal and organizational possibilities for this. Obviously, in the case of Euro 2020 we are already at the finish line, and trying to change something will hardly be possible, and no one will do it. Although this is not the main reason, it is because Russia has always had good relations with FIFA and UEFA in terms of the fight against doping.

  • Alexey Sorokin

- Do you think that the sanctions imposed can affect the attendance of matches, or the Finns, Danes and Belgians will not attach any particular importance to this and put the football holiday at the forefront?

- I sincerely hope that attendance will not be affected in any way. People who love football cannot stop the statements of a respected but non-football organization. They will come because they want to attend the matches of their team, they saved up money for this, are waiting for the holiday and hope to see their favorite players. Football players are preparing hard for this tournament, which for some may be the main event in their careers. It will be a real celebration of football.

- If everything is more or less clear with UEFA, then with FIFA everything is much more complicated, and the Russian team can go to the World Cup final tournament in 2022 without a flag and a name, even if it passes the selection. Is this a dangerous precedent for football, in your opinion?

- I can only express my personal opinion. The qualifying tournament for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar is organized by UEFA, and this is a continental competition. Each confederation is responsible for its qualifications and decides who will represent it in Qatar. According to WADA logic, this is a continental tournament, so, as far as I can tell, sanctions will not affect the selection for the World Cup 2022.