The Italian Football Association interacts with the “Ukraine events” with a new decision
The Italian Football Federation announced today that the matches of this week in various grades will start with a delay of five minutes in a "call for peace", against the background of the events of Russia's invasion of its neighbor Ukraine.
The local federation of the game said in a statement that the professional and amateur matches would start late "in order to respect human life and the need to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis in Ukraine."
Russia launched a campaign to invade Ukraine yesterday, as bloody conflicts erupted at the gates of the capital, Kiev, this morning.
The statement made no mention of Russia or the word of war, while federation president Gabriel Gravina said Italian football was "very concerned about what is currently happening".
"Sports have nothing to do with politics, but they loudly call for peace," he added.
As part of a reaction to what is happening, the European Football Association (UEFA) decided today to strip Saint Petersburg of the honor of hosting the final of the European Champions League and give it to the French capital, Paris.
It was also decided to hold the continental matches of Russia and Ukraine on neutral ground "until further notice."
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