Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, said that they have to lift the ban on Russia in international competitions because this initiative has achieved nothing. Russian and Belarusian teams, as well as national teams from these countries, were banned from participating in international competitions following the invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.“It’s something we have to do, definitely, at least for the young people,” Infantino told Britain’s Sky on Monday. “This ban has achieved nothing, it has only created more frustration and hatred. That boys and girls from Russia can play football in other parts of Europe can help.”
In addition, Infantino described a possible veto of Israel for the genocide in Palestine as “a defeat”. “We should make sure in our statutes that no country can be banned from playing football because of the actions of its political leaders,” he said.In the same interview, the FIFA president also defended the organisation’s decision to award Donald Trump, the former president of the United States, the Peace Prize, a newly created award. “Objectively he deserves it. And it’s not just me saying that, a Nobel Peace Prize winner – referring to Maria Corina Machado – has also said it. He has been an instrumental part in resolving conflicts and saving thousands of lives,” he said.
An idea from UEFA and FIFA that did not come to fruition
At its 2023 Council meeting, FIFAalready adopted fundamental decisions in this regard.Following the earlier decision of the UEFA Executive Committee to allow Russia’s U-17 national teams, both women’s and men’s, to return to UEFA competitions, the FIFA Council approved extending this resolution to the FIFA U-17 World Cup(TM) and the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup(TM) and therefore lift the ban on these Russian teams.
Months later, UEFA halted the readmission of Russian U-17 teams into competition, as its Executive Committee had decided in September, after failing to find a technical solution. This initiative provoked the anger of Ukraine and some football federations from several countries such as England, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Norway and Romania, who called for not playing against Russian teams.
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