Andrii Pavelko: We demand Russia to get suspended from the Euro 2024 qualifying draw

14.09.2022 19:00

Photo

On February 24, after the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian army into Ukraine, the UAF sent appropriate appeals to FIFA and UEFA regarding the importance of applying sanctions against football representatives of the Russian Federation.

On February 28, FIFA and UEFA jointly decided that all Russian teams, whether national or club, will be suspended from FIFA and UEFA competitions until further notice. Such decisions were then made by the Bureau of the FIFA Council and the UEFA Executive Committee - the highest decision-making bodies of both organizations on such urgent issues.

On May 2, the UEFA Executive Committee adopted a series of decisions in addition to the previous decision of February 28 to ensure the unhindered holding of tournaments in safe conditions. Russia has been suspended from all competitions of the 2022/2023 season among youth, women's and men's club and national teams.

"UEFA's decision formally applies only to official competitions. Therefore, it allows Russian football officials to negotiate the possible holding of friendly matches. But the Ukrainian Association of Football immediately reacts to such attempts. Yes, quite recently we wrote letters to FIFA and UEFA with the demand to cancel the match between Russia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, scheduled for November 19. We also appealed to the association of Bosnia and Herzegovina, urging them to stand in solidarity with the entire civilized football world and refuse to participate in this match. There was also an appeal from the UAF Executive Committee to colleagues from Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as an appeal from our football legends to the players and coaches of the Bosnian national team with an appeal to refuse to hold the match.

An official decision has not yet been made regarding this game. But we are doing everything possible to prevent the match from taking place.

We are taking similar actions in relation to the two friendly matches of the women's teams of Serbia U-17 and Russia U-17, which were supposed to take place in the Balkans in October.

We are also currently making efforts at the UEFA level, the purpose of which is to prevent Russia from participating in the Euro 2024 qualifying draw, which is scheduled to take place on October 9 in Frankfurt. The tournament itself, let me remind you, will be held from June 14 to July 14, 2024 in Germany. The aggressor country cannot be represented in competitions where national teams of countries that, unlike the Russian Federation, respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other states participate. The country, which in the XNUMXst century in front of the eyes of the whole world kills innocent women, children and elderly people, seeks to destroy - physically and mentally - an entire nation, our people, should be completely isolated on the international stage, including in football! As long as it does not stop committing its crimes and compensates for the damages", - stressed Andrii Pavelko, the UAF pesident, the UEFA Executive Committee member.