The exclusion of clubs and teams from Russia and Belarus was applied by football’s highest governing body after the war began, as a form of international pressure against Moscow.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended the idea of ending the suspension that prevents Russian teams from participating in international football competitions, in force since 2022, after the invasion of Ukraine. According to him, the measure “brought no results” and worsened tensions instead of promoting peace.
The exclusion of clubs and teams from Russia and Belarus was applied by football’s highest governing body after the war began, as a form of international pressure against Moscow. The suspension reached all official FIFA and UEFA competitions, including World Cup qualifiers and continental tournaments since then.
In an interview with the British channel Sky News, Infantino stated that the ban, in force for around four years, “has achieved nothing” and, on the contrary, “created more frustration and hatred”. Therefore, he said that FIFA needs to discuss the possibility of allowing Russian teams – especially those from lower categories, such as youth teams – to return to international competition.
“It’s something we definitely have to do, at least at the youth level. This ban has achieved nothing, it has only created more frustration and hatred. Allowing children from Russia to play football in other parts of Europe could help,” said Infantino.
The Swiss leader also criticized the idea of suspending other countries for geopolitical reasons, arguing that football should be guided by its values of unity and not punish populations for decisions made by political leaders. “We must guarantee in our statutes that no country can be prevented from playing football because of the actions of its political leaders,” he declared.
Infantino also added that FIFA should consider that sports can be a bridge for exchange between nations, even in times of conflict, and that the gradual return, starting with youth teams, could facilitate this process.
Reactions and context
Infantino’s position provoked immediate reactions on the international sporting scene. Ukrainian sports officials and politicians spoke out against the idea, arguing that Russia’s return to official competitions should not be considered while the conflict on its territory continues, stressing that the suspension was part of a unified response by sports organizations to the war.
UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin also previously made it clear that reinstatement would depend on the effective end of the war in Ukraine before the European body reconsiders the participation of Russian teams in competitions under its control.
The discussion about the veto against Russia is also part of a broader context of debate about the role of sport in times of geopolitical tensions and sanctions. The suspension applied in 2022 was one of the global responses to the Ukrainian invasion, alongside government economic and political sanctions.
Although Infantino has opened the door to Russia’s readmission, no formal decision has yet been made by the FIFA council or UEFA, or even on a timetable for doing so. For the suspension to be reversed, international football governing bodies would have to approve changes to the statute and application of the rules governing the participation of national teams and clubs in official competitions.
Experts in sports law and directors of national federations point out that this process must involve broad internal debates and consultations with the entire global football system before any changes that allow Russia’s effective return to international competitive football.
*This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Jovem Pan.
