Regarding the statement of FIFA President Gianni Infantino

02.02.2026 19:06

The Ukrainian Association of Football calls on FIFA and its President not to change the position of football governing bodies regarding the suspension of Russians from football competitions as long as the war against Ukraine continues.

Military hostilities on the territory of Ukraine are ongoing. The situation has not improved; attacks continue to destroy civilian infrastructure and take the lives of peaceful civilians. Russian forces continue their offensive along the line of contact. Due to constant attacks on settlements across the entire country, millions of Ukrainians remain without electricity, water, and heating.

We do not agree with the claim that the ban against the aggressor is ineffective. We believe that exclusion from participation in competitions is an effective method of pressure on the aggressor. The potential reintegration of any Russian national teams poses a threat to the safety and integrity of competitions.

We remind that this position and these warnings are stated in the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne in the case CAS 2022/A/8708 Football Union of Russia (FUR) v. Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) et al.