Andriy Shevchenko, a legendary figure in Ukrainian football, expressed his opinion on the necessity of maintaining the ban on Russian teams' participation in international tournaments during a meeting with FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
This conversation took place during the UEFA congress held in Brussels. Shevchenko noted that the ongoing war makes Russia's return to international football extremely inappropriate, emphasizing that Ukraine's position on this issue has remained unchanged since 2022.
Previously, Infantino had suggested the possibility of revising the sanctions and proposed to allow Russian youth teams to return, claiming that sports isolation has exacerbated tensions. These statements have drawn criticism from Ukrainian officials, who believe that sports cannot be separated from current realities.
Since February 2022, Russian national teams and clubs have been suspended from tournaments under the auspices of FIFA and UEFA. Although discussions about the possibility of a return continue, in practice, this is unlikely, as many national associations continue to refuse matches against Russian teams.
FIFA described the meeting as "constructive," but no decisions have yet been made regarding the fate of the sanctions.
