The reaction of Sibiga to Infantino's call was sharp: “679 Ukrainian children will never be able to play football — Russia has killed them. And it continues to kill, while moral degenerates propose lifting the bans, despite the ongoing war.” Sibiga also noted that such actions will be perceived by future generations as a disgrace, reminding of the 1936 Olympic Games.
After the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian teams were excluded from tournaments held by FIFA and UEFA. At the same time, The Times reports that the FIFA Council does not plan to vote on the issue of admission in the near future.
In addition, Infantino expressed his opinion against banning Israel from competitions, considering it a “defeat.” He emphasized that FIFA should consider changing its rules to state in its charter that no country should be banned from participating in football due to the actions of its political leaders. The official believes that football should be used to “maintain connections” between countries.
