Russian FA will appeal World Cup ban to CAS as they threaten legal action against Fifa and Uefa
The Russian Football Union will appeal the decisions by FIFA and UEFA to ban Russian national teams from international competitions. The Court of Arbitration for Sport will now hear the appeal to the decision – which was taken in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The lawsuit filed by the Russian governing body hopes to […]
The Russian Football Union will appeal the decisions by FIFA and UEFA to ban Russian national teams from international competitions.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport will now hear the appeal to the decision – which was taken in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The lawsuit filed by the Russian governing body hopes to allow their men’s and women’s national teams to compete.
As it stands, the men’s side cannot qualify for the World Cup in Qatar – for which they were due to face Poland in the play-offs later this month.
And the women’s side cannot compete in the Women’s Euros this summer – which they had qualified for through the play-offs.
The original joint-statement from Fifa and Uefa read: “Following the initial decisions adopted by the FIFA Council and the UEFA Executive Committee, which envisaged the adoption of additional measures, FIFA and UEFA have today decided together that all Russian teams, whether national representative teams or club teams, shall be suspended from participation in both FIFA and UEFA competitions until further notice.
“These decisions were adopted today by the Bureau of the FIFA Council and the Executive Committee of UEFA, respectively the highest decision-making bodies of both institutions on such urgent matters.
“Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine.
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“Both presidents hope that the situation in Ukraine will improve significantly and rapidly so that football can again be a vector for unity and peace amongst people.”
The statement came just days after Fifa initially stated Russia would be allowed to continue competing under the name ‘Football Union of Russia’ or ‘RFU’.
Football’s governing body also said they would be forced to play without their flag and without their anthem being played before matches.
But now both they and Uefa have decided that the Russian national teams and the country’s clubs are banned from all associated competitions.
Russia’s men’s team were due to face Poland in a World Cup play-off semi-final, before potentially Sweden or Czech Republic in the final.
However, all three teams have refused to face them.
And Spartak Moscow have been thrown out of the Europa League as a result of the ongoing invasion.
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