Russia Football Union to appeal FIFA, UEFA’s decision to ban national team

The Russian Football Union on Thursday said that it will appeal FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) and UEFA’s (Union of European Football Associations) decisions to ban Russia’s national team from international competitions including the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. 

FIFA had announced on Monday that it would suspend Russia indefinitely from international tournaments. The call from the international governing body came one month before Russia was schduled to play the final qualification matches.

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The Russian Football Union said that FIFA and UEFA did not have a legal basis to remove Russia’s national teams and clubs . The union further added that that it was not given the right to defend its position.

“As part of a single lawsuit against two organizations, the RFU will demand the restoration of all men’s and women’s national teams of Russia in all types of football in the tournaments in which they took part (including in the qualifying round of the World Cup in Qatar), as well as compensation for damage, if any will be installed,” the RFU said in a statement.

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RFU further alleged that FIFA’s decision to suspend Russian men’s national team from the World Cup qualifiers was made under pressurefrom teams the country would have competed against. The union said that it violates the principle of sports and the rules of fair play.

“If FIFA and UEFA refuse such a procedure, a requirement will be put forward for the introduction of interim measures in the form of suspension of FIFA and UEFA decisions, as well as competitions in which Russian teams were supposed to participate,” the statement further read. 

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Poland, the Czech Republic and Sweden said they would not play against Russia. 

UEFA on Thursday barred all Belarus teams from hosting international football games, though they could still be expelled from European competitions for joining Russia’s war on Ukraine.