UEFA admitted junior teams of Russia to international tournaments

The Executive Committee of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) admitted the men’s and women’s junior teams of Russia to international competitions (players under 17 years old – Approx. RS) – with the condition that matches with their participation will not be held on Russian territory, without the use of the country’s flag, anthem and national game uniform.

UEFA clarified that the disqualification of the rest of the Russian football teams – both national and club teams – will remain in force until the end of the war in Ukraine.

In response to this decision, the Football Association of England (FA) has already announced that its junior teams will refuse to play with their peers from Russia.

Russian athletes were removed from the vast majority of international competitions in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In particular, football teams and clubs were sanctioned.

• In March, the International Olympic Committee recommended that the Russians be admitted to their competitions in a neutral status, provided that they did not speak out in support of the war and were not connected to the army. This decision provoked sharp criticism in Ukraine and a number of other countries condemning Russian military aggression. More than thirty states advocated that Russians not be allowed to participate in international competitions under any circumstances.
• Because of the war and sanctions, more than two hundred Russian athletes have changed or are about to change their sports citizenship in order to be able to compete in international competitions. Among them are both novice athletes and world-famous ones – for example, the winner of the World Chess Championship, Alexandra Kosteniuk, who now plays for Switzerland.