FIFA President hopes for Russia's return to football: what UEFA says
Kyiv • UNN
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has expressed hope for Russia's return to football. UEFA and UAF are against it - due to the ongoing aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino spoke in favor of Russia's return to international football during the UEFA Congress in Belgrade, Serbia. UEFA President Alexander Čeferin said that this will not happen as long as Russian aggression against Ukraine continues. This is reported by UNN with reference to The Athletic.
Details
It is noted that FIFA President Infantino expressed hope during the meeting that Russia would be able to return to international football.
As negotiations for peace in Ukraine continue, I hope that soon we will be able to turn to the next page, also return Russia to the football landscape, because that would mean that everything is resolved. That's what we should cheer for, that's what we should pray for - because that's what football is. It's not separation, it's uniting girls, uniting boys, uniting people, wherever they are
However, the publication notes that in order to make Russia's return possible, a majority of the members of the UEFA Executive Committee must vote in favor, and UEFA President Alexander Čeferin reaffirmed his position on Thursday.
"As I have said many times, when the war stops, they will be accepted again," Čeferin said.
At the same time, the Spanish publication AS , citing sources in UEFA, reports that the possibility of returning clubs and national teams from Russia to competitions under the auspices of UEFA was not discussed, as this is not within the competence of the UEFA Congress.
In connection with Infantino's statement, the Executive Committee of the Ukrainian Football Association (UAF) appealed with an official letter to representatives of all European football national associations and UEFA.
We are grateful to the football family for the immediate response at the beginning of the full-scale war unleashed against us by Russia, namely the decision adopted in February 2022 by the UEFA Executive Committee and the FIFA Council to suspend Russian teams, both national teams and clubs, from participation in all international competitions and further keep the teams of the aggressor country away from international football for the past three years
At the same time, the UAF expressed regret that over these years the issue of reviewing this decision has been raised several times and attempts have been made to partially lift the restrictions, in particular, regarding the admission of U-17 youth teams to competitions. Therefore, the UAF appealed to UEFA regarding the inadmissibility and inappropriateness of discussing and considering such issues in the context of the ongoing aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
"The return of Russians to competitions under the auspices of UEFA and FIFA threatens a split in the football family and poses a direct threat to the safety and integrity of such international competitions," the UAF noted.
In addition, a blatant incident occurred during the congress. The fact is that before the start of the meeting, the members of the congress honored the memory of football people who passed away in 2024.
The list included former Russian national team footballer Oleksiy Bugaev. In December 2024, the Armed Forces of Ukraine eliminated Oleksiy Bugaev, who went to fight in Ukraine instead of serving 9.5 years in prison. He was previously detained for drugs and sentenced to a strict regime colony.
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However, UEFA also honored the memory of prominent Ukrainians, including former coach of the Ukrainian national team and Kyiv "Dynamo" Mykhailo Fomenko, former head of the FFU Anatoliy Konkov, manager Volodymyr Lazarenko, as well as referee Andriy Shchepotiev, who died while performing a combat mission in Kharkiv region last December.
UEFA and its member associations express their sincere condolences to the UAF and all those in Ukraine who have lost loved ones
Also at the Congress, elections to the governing bodies of UEFA were held. As a result of the voting, new members of the Executive Committee were elected - eight representatives received a mandate for a four-year term, and two more for a two-year term.
Composition of the UEFA Executive Committee elected (re-elected) at the 49th Congress: Lise Klaveness (Norway), Frank Pau (Netherlands), Garbiele Gravina (Italy), Hans-Joachim Watzke (Germany), Marian Kustić (Croatia), Ari Lahti (Finland), Aivar Polak (Estonia), Armen Melikbekyan (Armenia) - four-year term; two-year term - Abal Rafael Luzan (Spain), Moshe Zuares (Israel).
UAF President Andriy Shevchenko failed to win the election to the UEFA Executive Committee. However, also as a result of the voting, the aggressor country of Russia lost its representation in the governing body, as the term of office of the head of the Russian Football Union, Alexander Dyukov, expired, and a new Russian candidate was not nominated.
Let us remind you
The Ukrainian government condemned the words of the future head of the IOC, Kirsty Coventry, who spoke in favor of the return of Russians to the Olympic Games. Ukraine calls for the non-admission of Russians to international competitions.
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