UEFA Issue Statement on Reversing Russia's Ban from European Football

UEFA have issued a statement on the possibility of reversing Russia's ban from European football.

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, both UEFA and FIFA suspended Russian national teams and clubs from all competitions. Russia launched six appeals against the decision, but all were dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).

In September 2022, UEFA confirmed that Russia would be barred from qualifying for Euro 2024. And the country will also not be allowed to compete at the 2026 FIFA World Cup because they cannot take part in the qualifying rounds.

It will be the second consecutive World Cup Russia has missed, following their exclusion from the 2022 tournament for the same reason. Their last participation at a global football tournament was the 2018 World Cup, which they hosted and they reached the quarter-finals.

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin. Image: Nicolò Campo / Contributor via Getty

Last week the draws were held for UEFA's club competitions: the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.

Ahead of the draws, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin spoke to POLITICO about a range of issues within the game.

One aspect he was asked about was the enduring ban for Russian national teams and their clubs from UEFA competitions.

He said: "The ban for Russian teams is, I think, three and a half years. Did the war stop? It didn’t. So for now, I don’t know.

"I have to say that with the situation in Russia and Ukraine, there was a super strong political pressure.

"Now it’s more a pressure of the civil society than politicians, because politicians are obviously, when it comes to wars and victims, very pragmatic. I cannot say what will happen. There are talks about everything, but me personally, I’m against kicking the athletes out."

Aleksander Ceferin and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Image: Claudio Lavenia - UEFA / Contributor via Getty

Ceferin continued to discuss the divisiveness of the decision to ban Russia.

"For me, sport should try to show the way but not by forbidding the athletes to compete," he added.

"But to be honest, again, with the war, Russia-Ukraine, we had an almost hysterical political reaction. We were among the first to act, truly believing that sport could help put an end to this tragedy.

"Sadly, life showed us otherwise. Now I don’t see much reaction from politics. From civil society it’s huge.

In conclusion, for as long as the war in Ukraine continues, it is unlikely that UEFA will lift the ban on Russia.

For now, Russian players must watch from the sidelines.