Mueez Ajao
– Football’s world governing body Fifa and Europe’s governing body Uefa have suspended Russian clubs and national teams from all competitions.
– The move comes after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended that Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials are banned from any organised international competitions.
– It means the Russian men’s team will not play their World Cup play-off matches next month and the women’s team have been banned from this summer’s European Championship.
Also Read: FIFA bans international games in Russia, no flag or anthem allowed
– Spartak Moscow have also been kicked out of the Europa League, while Uefa has ended its sponsorship with Russian energy giant Gazprom.
– “Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine,” Fifa and Uefa said in a joint statement.
– “Both presidents hope that the situation in Ukraine will improve significantly and rapidly so that football can again be a vector for unity and peace amongst people.”
– Fifa and Uefa have decided to take action after Russia, supported by Belarus, launched a military invasion of neighbouring Ukraine last Thursday.
