Ukraine’s sports minister has called FIFA president Gianni Infantino “irresponsible” and “infantile” for saying that the world football governing body will consider lifting a ban on Russia.
Russian national teams and clubs were suspended from all competitions by FIFA and UEFA in February 2022 after the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
With the war still going on, Infantino has said ”this ban has not achieved anything” and “has just created more frustration and hatred”.
He added, “Having girls and boys from Russia being able to play football games in other parts of Europe would help.”
In response, Ukraine sports minister Matvii Bidnyi said in a social media post:, external ”Gianni Infantino’s words sound irresponsible – not to say infantile.
“They detach football from the reality in which children are being killed.
“Let me remind you that since the start of Russia’s full-scale aggression, more than 650 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have been killed by Russians. Among them were more than one hundred footballers.”
Infantino was awarded the Russian Order of Friendship medal by President Vladimir Putin after Russia hosted the 2018 World Cup.
However, since Russia’s ban, they have been unable to compete at the 2022 World Cup and UEFA’s Euro 2024, and the country will not be part of the 2026 World Cup.
Russia has not completely stopped playing international football, as they have played matches against non-Western nations without needing the permission of FIFA or UEFA.
“War is a crime, not politics,” added Bidnyi. “It is Russia that politicises sport and uses it to justify aggression.
“I share the position of the Ukrainian Association of Football, which also warns against Russia’s return to international competitions.
“As long as Russians continue killing Ukrainians and politicising sport, their flag and national symbols have no place among people who respect values such as justice, integrity, and fair play.”
Last year, Ukraine criticised the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) decision to lift a ban on athletes from Russia and its close ally Belarus.
The Ukrainian National Paralympic Committee said the IPC had allowed Russia and Belarus to “raise their flags, drenched in the blood of hundreds of thousands of people”.
Despite the IPC lifting its ban, Russian and Belarusian Para-athletes will not be at next month’s Winter Paralympics.
Although the IPC oversees the Games, there are four separate governing bodies responsible for the six sports taking place in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Three of the governing bodies have decided to keep their bans on athletes from the two countries, and although Russia and Belarus are now allowed to compete in ice hockey, the decision came too late for them to take part in qualifying.
