Yo UEFA, sic 'em boy, sic 'em! https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61301238 Uefa announces further sanctions on Russian clubs and national teams amid Ukraine invasion
If Russia is unable to join the Euro 2024 qualifiers and will this increase the possibility of them trying to join the AFC? It have to be soon because the joint AFC wcq/asian cup qualifiers will probably start in the second half of 2023. I think changing confederations for national team participation shouldn't be an issue. But clubs participating in the AFC competitions is a much more complicated matter.
Still waiting for the football world to unite and refuse to play Saudi Arabia and Morocco. CAS is completely useless. Can't believe how badly we've lost the ball.
UEFA decided yesterday that Russia will be excluded from next month's 2024 European Championship preliminary draw.
So, the IOC has provisionally lifted the ban of Russian athletes in the 2028 L.A. Olympics saying the reasons for the suspension are no longer applicable. Still TBD if they'll be able to compete under the Russian flag. Russian athletes could compete at LA 2028 Olympics Hopefully this starts a domino effect, and Russia will be able to compete in the upcoming Euros and WC 2030.
I couldn’t disagree more. Let Russian teams toil in obscurity forever! Or at least until Russia withdraws from Ukraine.
Put politics aside. Why should certain players chosen at random be banned from a WC forever just because of what one dude they never met and have no control over decides? Its not like they have a choice and can switch teams.
It was 7 years ::after:: WW2 concluded before Germany was allowed back into the football community of nations. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is still going on! At a minimum there should be a complete withdrawal from Ukraine before Russian teams are even considered for a return to international competitions. Are we supposed to care more about Russian athletes than the innocent Ukrainians murdered every day and night? Moreover, I don’t know if not having teams in the Olympics and World Cup etc. are an influence on public opinion on Russia with respect to the war, but it might be, and that’s a good enough reason for me to continue with them being banned.
Well, looks like the IOC is dropping their suspension of Russia which is why I bumped up this tread. I'm not sure about the extent that it influences public opinion. I guess it does work as FIFA intended because there are, what, like over two dozen wars currently going on the world and people are only shaming the country causing death and distruction in the white/blonde country. All the others are either ignored or encouraged by FIFA.
Should Israel be banned? Absolutely, IMO. Some other countries, including the USA as well. It doesn’t change the fact that Russia has invaded Ukraine and committed multiple war crimes, and should stay banned until they cease doing so. “Whataboutism” is rarely a compelling argument. It usually means you can’t make a decent argument on the merits of the specific case.
I didn't do any whataboutism but I think one has to look at other examples and see what, if anything, was done in those cases to find the appropriate punishment here. Like you did with WWII reference (although neither Japan or Italy missed a WC for what they did during that war, so not the best analogy). Maybe that's what IOC did because they realized that the suspension is "no longer relevant".
Well, you have an expectation of sports governance that doesn't correspond with its ideals. People in sports governance actually tend to have an inclusive approach, promoting it as an avenue to momentarily set aside differences and encourage mutual understanding. Sports tries its best be neutral, not exclusionary and partisan like you expect it to be. Historically FIFA has integrated FAs representing states and territories with disputed recognition such as Kosovo, Gibraltar and of course Palestine. FIFA has more members than the UN. It's important to acknowledge this to remind everyone where FIFA historically stands with integration and development. FIFA seems to want everyone at the table for the game. It's not FIFA's responsibility to take a stance on wars or to influence geopolitical disputes by suspending one of their member FAs every time something happens. FIFA is not the only sporting body that thinks like this. The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) completely reinstated Russia's men's and women's national teams. World Aquatics lifted its restrictions on Russian athletes. The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) actually beat the IOC to the punch. In a landmark vote, FIG completely lifted all restrictions on Russian and Belarusian athletes, effective immediately. So, why does Russia remain suspended in FIFA, and why will they remain so for the foreseeable future? Russia isn't suspended because FIFA abandoned their neutrality. Their hand is forced because of a continued bloc boycott by UEFA FAs with significant leverage.
Correct. People should be reminded RUS is suspended because UEFA kicked them out of qualifiers. FIFA jumped on the bandwagon afterwards. RUS messed with UEFA's big TV business of WC qualifiers, where multiple teams planned to boycott their matches vs RUS. Thus, UEFA put RUS out on the street. And if you ask why ISR isn't banned from WC qualifiers, then ask yourself which AFC teams have pledged to boycott ISR matches? FIFA ain't going to lift a finger when everyone in AFC looks the other way as Palestine remains invaded. Neither KSA nor QAT have said anything about keeping ISR out of qualifiers, so FIFA will continue its business as usual. As things stand right now, UEFA will block any FIFA attempts to bring RUS back for 2030 WC. UEFA president Ceferin won't risk losing a re-election for poor little RUS either. https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...c-fifa-russia-football-teams-ukraine-invasion Uefa has yet to comment but sources at several national associations have said there is no realistic prospect of Russian sides being welcomed back into European football, and by extension the World Cup, because, although that is a Fifa tournament, European qualifying is run by Uefa. Many of the biggest western European associations and federations, including in England, Germany and France, remain vehemently opposed to Russia’s return. Uefa was forced to abandon plans to bring back Russian sides to youth events three years ago after a backlash from at least a dozen of its members, and does not want a repeat. Uefa’s president, Aleksander Ceferin, is seeking re-election next year, so is unlikely to risk alienating much of his electorate.
Israel isn't a part of AFC and hasn't been for decades because many AFC nations refuse to play them. I don't think they have played against an AFC member since the 1970's.
True. So, who should lead the WC boycott against ISR then? You would think AFC should. Somehow, no one in AFC is willing to stand up for PLE as Israeli aggression continues. Thus, there is no membership pressure on FIFA to suspend ISR. That's where the UKR-RUS vs PLE-ISR comparison ends.