UEFA remains firm in its suspension of Russian teams from international football competitions due to the war in Ukraine, Aleksander Ceferin, the organization's president, assured on Thursday. The statements from the official contrast with the position taken by FIFA, which has admitted to a partial lifting of sanctions. "UEFA's position is clear and has not changed. I do not comment on what FIFA does or what governments say. The world changes. We will see what the future holds for us," Ceferin said at a press conference during UEFA's 50th congress held in Brussels. Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, criticized the ban imposed on Russian teams from competing in international competitions, which has been in place since early 2022, advocating for a partial lifting, starting with youth levels. "This boycott has achieved nothing, only created more frustration and hatred. Allowing boys and girls from Russia to play football in other parts of Europe could help," Infantino stated in remarks to Sky. The FIFA president's comments sparked outrage in Ukraine. The country's Minister of Sports described them as "irresponsible and even childish," accusing Infantino of "disconnecting football from the reality where children are being killed." In statements to Sky, the official announced that more than 100 football players are among over 650 Ukrainian athletes and coaches killed by Russians. On Thursday, Ceferin expressed his awareness of the developments in the war in Ukraine but warned that UEFA's position "remains unchanged." The congress held in Brussels also resulted in the unanimous approval of the report and accounts for the 2024/25 season, which showed a net loss of 46.2 million euros, covered by the organization's reserves, and had revenues exceeding 5 billion euros, an increase of 737 million compared to the previous season.
Russia UEFA Aleksander Ceferin remains central to this story.
Russia UEFA Aleksander Ceferin remains central to this story.
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