agencies
Posted on: Tuesday, March 1, 2022 – 3:50 PM | Last update: Tuesday, March 1, 2022 – 3:50 PM
Russia’s exclusion from the 2022 World Cup qualifiers in football, an Olympic recommendation to ban all competitions and terminate sponsorship contracts: Less than a week before the start of the Paralympic Games in China, the consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine were heavy on Russia, which found itself in complete sport isolation.
– Exclusion from the 2022 World Cup –
After hosting the last World Cup in 2018, Russia will be absent from the Qatar 2022 edition, scheduled between November 21 and December 18, as a result of a decision by the International Football Association (FIFA).
In a joint statement with its European counterpart, FIFA announced the suspension of the participation of clubs and football teams in all competitions “until further notice”, after its reluctance to take a decisive decision on Sunday, when it was satisfied with imposing Russia’s playing its matches under a neutral banner and playing its home matches outside its rules, which prompted widespread criticism. the range.
Poland, which was to come to Russia in the European annex, had announced its refusal to confront Russia, and Sweden and the Czech Republic, the two potential opponents of Russia, followed in the footsteps of the annex scheduled for this March.
In a question to France Prince on Monday evening, FIFA refused to answer whether Poland will qualify for the final of the second track supplement, or a different system will be adopted.
UEFA will meet next week to decide the impact of Russia’s exclusion from the European Women’s Championship next July in England.
After UEFA stripped Saint Petersburg of Russia from hosting the Champions League final and awarded it to the Stade de France in Paris, Spartak Moscow, the only representative of Russia in European competitions, was also excluded from the European League (European League), where it was expected to face Leipzig in Germany. Final price round.
– Olympic ban recommendation –
The International Olympic Committee has recommended international sports federations and sports event organizers to ban the participation of Russians and Belarusians from their competitions, maintaining its previous recommendation not to organize competitions on Russian soil.
The International Olympic Committee, which broke with its tradition of demanding athletes’ neutrality, saluted “the many calls for peace by athletes, sports officials and members of the global Olympic community”.
It took another powerful yet symbolic action by withdrawing the Medal of “Olympic Merit”, the highest Olympic honor, from all top Russian officials starting with President Vladimir Putin.
It also recommended that the flags of Russia and Belarus not be raised or their anthems played.
– outcasts –
Many international sports federations have taken strict measures against Russia and sometimes Belarus in volleyball, skiing, biathlon, ice hockey, rugby, boxing and swimming.
In volleyball, the International Federation announced the withdrawal of the World Championships scheduled for the end of August from Russia. Poland, the world champion, and France, the Olympic champion, had warned against withdrawing if the Russian hosting was retained.
The Swedish and Norwegian ski federations said Russian athletes were not welcome on their soil in March, in a similar move to British authorities.
A ban has been imposed on the Russian and Belarusian teams by the International Ice Hockey Federation, which means Russia will be absent from the 2022 World Cup in Finland, in addition to the World Rugby Federation, to put an end to Russia’s slim hopes of qualifying for the World Cup France 2023.
Three Russian clubs have been suspended from the Euroleague basketball tournament, while the International Skating Federation has canceled all competitions in Russia, such as the International Badminton and Swimming Federation, which canceled the Junior World Cup in Kazan, Russia, in August.
The four largest boxing federations also announced that no fight would be held in Russia.
In Taekwondo, the International Taekwondo Federation stripped Putin of his honorary 9th Dan black belt, which has been granted to him since 2013, saying that Moscow’s actions contradict the sport’s vision of “peace is more valuable than victory.”
– Dissolution of the partnership with “Gazprom” –
UEFA also announced the termination of its partnership “with immediate effect” with the Russian gas giant Gazprom, one of its main sponsors since 2012.
The value of the contract was estimated at 40 million euros annually, according to specialized media, and it covered the costs of the Champions League and international competitions organized by UEFA, in addition to the European Cup hosted by Germany in 2024.
The ancient German Schalke announced the termination of its partnership with Gazprom and Manchester United with the Russian airline Aeroflot.
– No Formula in Sochi –
After becoming a symbol of Russian “soft power” in the world of sports, Sochi, the host of the 2014 Winter Olympics, will be deprived of receiving the Formula One Grand Prix, following a decision by the rights owner of the American Liberty Media World Championship.
The Haas team is considering its future relationship with Russian sponsor Uralkali, and the future of Russian driver Nikita Mazepin, son of a Uralkali official, appears murky.
– Abramovich’s case –
Roman Abramovich has become a major figure on the English football scene in the last 19 years since owning Chelsea and leading them to two Champions League titles. The Russian billionaire has pulled out with an ambiguous and polemical statement granting the power to manage and sponsor the West London Club to his charitable foundation.
As for Monaco, France, it remains secretive about the fate of its billionaire Russian owner, Dmitry Rybolovlev.
– The opponents are mobilized –
And football is not the only one where opponents are reluctant to confront the Russians: in Cairo, the Ukraine national fencing team refused to face the Russian national team at the World Cup.
Tennis players and players have called on the tennis associations to take action. Before her scheduled confrontation with Russian Anastasia Potapova on Tuesday in Monterrey, Ukrainian Elina Svitolina announced that she would not face any Russian or Belarusian opponent, if their participation was not under a neutral banner.