War in Ukraine: Fifa's first sanctions are not unanimous
FIFA President Gianni Infantino in September 2020. AFP - KURT SCHORRER
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
The International Football Federation (Fifa) imposed Sunday on Russia to play its matches under a neutral banner and to play its home matches outside its territory, following the invasion of Ukraine.
A decision already rejected by Poland next opponent of Russia.
Advertising
Read more
The Russian anthem and flag will also be banned from international competitions, announced FIFA, which reserves the right to take "
additional sanctions, including potential exclusion from competitions
", while the exclusion of Russians from the World Cup -2022 has been mentioned in recent hours, in particular by the French Federation.
Poland maintains its decision not to play against Russia
To participate in international competitions, in particular in the World Cup-2022 play-offs scheduled for the end of March, Russia will have to do so under the name of the “Russian Football Federation” (RFU), specifies the body led by Gianni Infantino.
These decisions, awaited by the sports world for several days, were taken “
unanimously
” by the bureau of the Council of Fifa, specifies the body.
However, they cast doubt on the fate of the World Cup play-offs at the end of March, because Poland, which is to face Russia on the 24th, has warned that it will refuse to play the match.
This “
decision is totally unacceptable.
We are not interested in participating in this match of appearances.
The Polish national team will NOT PLAY against Russia, regardless of the name of the team
”, immediately reacted on Twitter Cezary Kulesza, president of the Polish Federation.
Sweden and the Czech Republic, which could also have to challenge the Russians a few days later in the final of these dams, have also planned to do the same, according to press releases from their federations.
The FFF is not against an exclusion from the 2022 World Cup
Fifa “
took good note
” of these positions and “engaged in dialogue” with the federations concerned, with the aim of “
finding appropriate and acceptable solutions
”.
Noël Le Graët, the president of the French Federation, that of the 2018 world champions, said on Sunday that he would not oppose a Russian exclusion from the World Cup.
And the English Federation announced in the evening that it would boycott all matches against Russia in “the
near future
”.
(With AFP)
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Sports
Fifa
Soccer
World Cup 2022