with Kyrgyzstan as a “friend”
Where is Russian football going?
Date 09/22/2022, time 14:15
In fact, Russia has been wiped off the football map. National teams and clubs are banned by UEFA and FIFA. And still Sbornaja can play on weekends. Because of Kyrgyzstan and gaps in the aid system.
The stadium in Bishkek is not really an ornament. The 23,000-seat shell has faded, the tartan track is showing its age, the lights are an old iron monster. And yet, on Saturday, the football world had to take a look at the dilapidated stadium in the Kyrgyz capital. After all, the national team of the Central Asian country agreed to play alongside Russia.
The Russian Federation RFU described the game as a “friendly match” on its website, which the hosts of the 2018 World Cup finally wanted to report back on the international stage. In fact, it was the first game of the national team since the beginning of the Russian attack on Ukraine. Gaps in the system are responsible for the fact that it is allowed to happen at all.
Because although the national team and clubs of Russia were banned by the European Football Union (UEFA) in February with the support of the Court of Arbitration for Sport CAS and the World Association FIFA issued a ban on the World Cup, but the matches agreed on by both parties are not covered in this matter. Regulation. The association does not see itself as responsible for this matter.
The Home Secretary supports the exemption
The Russians are happy about that. Because by playing against the 95th in the world, they can pretend they are back to normal. According to critics, it has been made too easy for the Russians and their remaining friends. .
This is also shown by the recent decision of the UEFA Executive Committee, which, by the way, Russian Alexander Dyukov still sits. Exko announced on Tuesday that Russia will not be allowed to participate in the draw for the 2024 European Cup in Germany – Belarus, on the other hand, will participate in the group drawing on October 9 in Frankfurt / Main. .
This approach met with a lack of understanding from the federal government. In a letter to UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser called for a ban on Belarus before the Exko meeting. Faeser vainly demanded that “Belarus, as an important supporter of the Russian leadership, should be excluded from football and all international competitions.”
Zelenskyj also appealed
Ceferin received another letter with a distinguished sender on Tuesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote after speaking to UEFA chiefs by phone the previous day about the federation’s help in the release of arrested Ukrainian players. In his letter, Selenskyj thanked UEFA – among other things for the exclusion of the Russians and the end of cooperation with the former sponsor Gazprom.
But there is another voice coming from Ukraine at this time. Who could not understand how to participate in the World Cup, Iran agreed to play a friendly with Russia in November. The Ukrainian public is still very incredulous about Bosnia-Herzegovina. After all, shortly before the World Cup in St. Petersburg, there will be a game between Russia and the Balkan countries. The statue of Ukrainian Andrei Shevchenko has called on Bosnians to protest.
It remains to be seen whether the appeal works. In any case, there will be a game in Kyrgyzstan on Saturday – and the world must see.