World Cup 2022: Fifa has no choice but to exclude Russia

Virginie Phulpin 7:25 a.m., February 28, 2022

FIFA has taken its first sanctions against Russia.

The next matches of the Russian selection will be held on neutral ground, the anthem and the flag of Russia will be banned.

But these sanctions seem very light, FIFA should exclude Russia from the race for the World Cup. 

Three days of silence and a meeting to decide on sanctions which are barely there?

You might as well decide not to decide anything.

What emerges from the FIFA press release is that it does not exclude Russia from the World Cup play-offs.

Point bar.

Frankly the little preamble sentence to say that the federation is opposed to any war, how to say politely that it is useless?

Unlike most sports players who reacted strongly to Russia's outbreak of war in Ukraine, the international football federation is content with the bare minimum.

That Russia could not play its play-off matches at home but on neutral ground was at least what the IOC was asking for.

That Russia cannot use its anthem before matches and that the team is not called Russia but Russian Football Federation, what difference does it make?

Strictly nothing, except to hide your face and act as if you had made a decision.

And that does not at all solve the problem of these play-off matches for the World Cup.

Russia are due to face Poland at the end of March.

And the Poles had little taste for the half-measures taken by FIFA.

So they still refuse to face the Russians.

Like Sweden and the Czech Republic, potential opponents of Russia after this first match.

So not excluding Russia means, de facto, excluding the other three and directly giving a ticket for the World Cup to the Russian team.

The least we can say is that it is morally questionable.

what's the difference ?

Strictly nothing, except to hide your face and act as if you had made a decision.

And that does not at all solve the problem of these play-off matches for the World Cup.

Russia are due to face Poland at the end of March.

And the Poles had little taste for the half-measures taken by FIFA.

So they still refuse to face the Russians.

Like Sweden and the Czech Republic, potential opponents of Russia after this first match.

So not excluding Russia means, de facto, excluding the other three and directly giving a ticket for the World Cup to the Russian team.

The least we can say is that it is morally questionable.

what's the difference ?

Strictly nothing, except to hide your face and act as if you had made a decision.

And that does not at all solve the problem of these play-off matches for the World Cup.

Russia are due to face Poland at the end of March.

And the Poles had little taste for the half-measures taken by FIFA.

So they still refuse to face the Russians.

Like Sweden and the Czech Republic, potential opponents of Russia after this first match.

So not excluding Russia means, de facto, excluding the other three and directly giving a ticket for the World Cup to the Russian team.

The least we can say is that it is morally questionable.

Russia are due to face Poland at the end of March.

And the Poles had little taste for the half-measures taken by FIFA.

So they still refuse to face the Russians.

Like Sweden and the Czech Republic, potential opponents of Russia after this first match.

So not excluding Russia means, de facto, excluding the other three and directly giving a ticket for the World Cup to the Russian team.

The least we can say is that it is morally questionable.

Russia are due to face Poland at the end of March.

And the Poles had little taste for the half-measures taken by FIFA.

So they still refuse to face the Russians.

Like Sweden and the Czech Republic, potential opponents of Russia after this first match.

So not excluding Russia means, de facto, excluding the other three and directly giving a ticket for the World Cup to the Russian team.

The least we can say is that it is morally questionable.

to exclude the other three and to directly give a ticket for the World Cup to the Russian team.

The least we can say is that it is morally questionable.

to exclude the other three and to directly give a ticket for the World Cup to the Russian team.

The least we can say is that it is morally questionable. 

FIFA nevertheless says that it reserves the right to go further in the sanctions.

Difficult to go less far at the same time.

FIFA is only pushing back the moment to make a real decision.

She says it herself, indeed, if the situation does not improve, she could go so far as to exclude Russia.

So let's not be Manichean, it's true that an exclusion cannot be decided lightly.

But here we are talking about matches which are scheduled in 3 weeks, not in 6 months.

Matches which in any case will not take place since the opponents of the Russians are against.

So taking half measures only gives a deplorable image of football and its international body.

A month ago, FIFA President Gianni Infantino told us with tremolos in his voice that his World Cup every two years could give hope to people around the world.

And there,

is it the same one who decides not to decide anything?

So that in any case it will be forced to evolve?

I don't know yet if it's backing up to better jump.

But for now it's mostly backwards.