Europe 1 with AFP 16:22 p.m., December 20, 2023

The Russian Football Federation (RFS) voted on Wednesday against a departure from UEFA to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), after months of reflection and threats to leave the European association, which has excluded it from its competitions since the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine.

"We have decided not to go (from UEFA) to Asia. Everyone unanimously supported this decision," RFS Deputy Chairman Akhmed Aidamirov was quoted as saying by the Tass news agency.

According to Mikhail Gershkovich, a member of the Russian Federation's executive committee, "we voted unanimously against it because there are no guarantees from Fifa," the governing body of world football, to accept such a change.

No Russian club participating in the European Cups

A move to the AFC would also have had significant financial consequences for Russian clubs. "We have decided to continue contacts with UEFA," Gershkovich said. "We will see how the situation develops next year," he added, as quoted by the Ria Novosti news agency.

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Since the beginning of the year, a working group has been set up with UEFA to discuss the possible reintegration of Russian clubs into European competitions (Champions League, Europa League, Europa Conference League) and Sbornaya, the national team, in continental tournaments.

This season, no Russian club is participating in the European Cups and Russia has not taken part in recent months in the Euro 2024 qualifiers, which will take place in Germany from June 14 to July 14.

Excluded February 28, 2022

The Russian Federation was excluded from all competitions organised by UEFA on 28 February 2022, four days after the start of the Russian assault on Ukraine. Since then, there has been a debate in the Russian football world about how to proceed, between those in favour of leaving UEFA, at the risk of not being able to return, and those in favour of maintaining the status quo until the conflict in Ukraine and Western sanctions are over.

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Finally, last September, UEFA allowed the return of Russian under-17 teams to European football competitions, a decision that did not please Ukraine and its ally Poland at all, raising fears of boycotts in European tournaments.