Exclusion from the World Cup, banishment, sponsors thanked: Russia facing sports sanctions

The Russian invasion in Ukraine continues to have serious consequences on professional sport, starting with the exclusion of Russia from the World-2022 of foobtall, which is added to the recommendation…

Russia excluded from the 2022 World Cup

Hosts of the last World Cup in 2018, the Russians were excluded Monday from the 2022 edition in Qatar (November 21-December 18) by the International Football Federation.

FIFA announced the suspension of national teams and Russian clubs "until further notice" in response to the invasion of Ukraine, in a joint statement with the European Confederation (UEFA).

As of Saturday, Poland, which was to play a play-off match for the World Cup on March 24 against Russia, announced that it refused to play it.

It was imitated by Sweden and the Czech Republic, possible opponents of the Russians or the Poles during the play-offs.

Questioned by AFP, Fifa had not confirmed, Monday evening, if Poland was directly qualified for the final of the play-offs of the 2022 World Cup, scheduled for the end of March, or if another format would be retained.

The UEFA executive committee will also meet soon to decide on the impact of the exclusion of the Russian team on the Women's Euro scheduled for July.

IOC recommends ban

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Monday recommended banning Russians and Belarusians from sports competitions.

In a press release, the IOC Executive Board "recommends that International Sports Federations and organizers of sports events do not invite or allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and official representatives in international competitions".

Another measure, symbolic but strong, it also withdrew the "Olympic order" - an honorary distinction awarded to personalities "having illustrated the Olympic ideal" - from all senior Russian officials, starting with President Vladimir Putin.

Outcasts

Already, the Swedish and Norwegian ski federations have made it known that Russian athletes were not welcome on their territories for the March events.

And the British authorities have warned that the Russian and Belarusian "national selections" are persona non grata.

Belarusian basketball players have already paid the price.

The Russian ice hockey team (under a neutral flag) in the final of the Beijing Olympics, lost against Finland, February 20, 2022 Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV AFP / Archives

In recent days, the International Ski Federation (FIS) had announced the cancellation of all its competitions in Russia and the International Biathlon Federation (IBU) had banned anthems and flags from Russia and Belarus.

In response, the Russians ended the season of their biathletes.

On Monday, the International Ice Hockey Federation decided to suspend all Russian and Belarusian national teams as well as all clubs from these two countries from participating in its competitions in all age categories "until further notice".

Russia, whose presence at the Worlds-2022 in May in Finland is now threatened, has also been deprived of the rights to organize the world junior championship scheduled for 2023.

An accomplished judoka, Russian President Vladimir Putin has also been suspended from his status as honorary president and ambassador of the International Judo Federation.

World Rugby has for its part suspended Russia and Belarus "until further notice", which means the end of the slim Russian hopes of qualifying for the Rugby World Cup, which will be played next year in France.

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) also canceled all activities in Russia and Belarus, banned those two countries from hosting competitions 'until further notice' and ordered their flags and anthems banned from all BWF tournaments.

UEFA breaks with Gazprom

UEFA announced on Monday that it had severed "with immediate effect" its partnership with the Russian giant Gazprom, one of its main sponsors since 2012.

The Gazprom Arena stadium, on April 2, 2021 in Saint-Petersburg, where the Champions League final was to take place on May 28, 2022, before being relocated to the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine Dimitar DILKOFF AFP/Archives

The contract was estimated at 40 million euros per year according to specialized media, and covered the Champions League, international competitions organized by UEFA as well as Euro-2024 which will take place in Germany.

Also sponsored by Gazprom, the German club Schalke 04 had already announced the termination of its contract earlier in the day, while Manchester United has decided to do without Aeroflot.

Sochi without F1

Sochi is a symbol of Russian sports "soft power".

Host city of the Winter Games in 2014, it also hosts the Formula 1 Russian Grand Prix. But this will not be the case this season: the competition's promoter, Formula One, has canceled it.

Briton Lewis Hamilton, in the lead at the wheel of his Mercedes, during the Formula 1 Russian Grand Prix, September 26, 2021 in Sochi Alexander NEMENOV AFP / Archives

The American team Haas has for its part called into question its partnership with its Russian sponsor Uralkali.

And the future in F1 of Nikita Mazepin, son of a leader of Uralkali, who was to drive one of the two single-seaters, seems questioned.

The Abramovich case

A major figure in the Premier League for 15 years, Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, owner of Chelsea, announced on Saturday that he was entrusting "the administrators of the Chelsea charitable foundation with the management" of the London club, a withdrawal still unclear.

Another sensitive case, AS Monaco, owned by Russian billionaire Dimitri Rybolovlev.

The Monegasque club is very discreet on the subject.

Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich owner of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in London, February 21, 2016 GLYN KIRK AFP/Archives

- Opponents are lacking -

It is not only football where the Russians note the reluctance of opponents to face them: the Ukrainian fencers, who were to face the Russians on Sunday in the World Cup by foil teams in Cairo, withdrew from the competition.

Dressed in yellow and blue, the men's team members held up signs reading: "Stop Russia! Stop the war!".

Neither boxing nor swimming

The four major boxing federations will no longer allow fights in Russia.

The International Swimming Federation (Fina) canceled the Junior Worlds in Kazan in August and warned that no competition would be held in Russia.

The participation of the three Russian clubs aligned in Euroleague basketball was suspended on Monday and their results could be canceled "if the situation does not evolve in the right direction".

Volleyball: Franco-Polish boycott

Scheduled from August 26 to September 11, the Volleyball Worlds seem threatened even if the international federation has not yet reacted.

Poles and French, respectively world and Olympic champions, warned that they would be forfeited if the competition was maintained in Russia.