Poland “does not plan to play the qualifying match” for the Qatar-2022 World Cup against Russiascheduled for March 24 in Moscow, the president of the Polish Federation announced on Twitter on Saturday.
No more words, time to act! Due to the escalation of the aggression of the Russian Federation towards Ukraine, the Polish national team does not intend to play the play-off match against the republic of Poland. Russia. This is the only right decision. We are in talks with the ???????? and ???????? federations to bring forward a common position to FIFA.
– Cezary Kulesza (@Czarek_Kulesza) February 26, 2022
“Enough talking, it’s time to act. Due to the escalation of aggression of (…) Russia in Ukraine, the Polish team does not plan to play the qualifying match against the Russian team”, indicated Cezary Kulesza, adding that “this is the only correct decision and that it is in communication with the football federations of Sweden and the Czech Republic to present a common position to FIFA.
Sweden or the Czech Republic would also have to travel to Moscow on March 29 for the play-off final, should Russia beat Poland on March 24.
On Friday the sports world imposed several sanctions against Russia, after the invasion of Ukraine, withdrawing the venue for the final of the football Champions League to St. Petersburg and canceling the F1 Grand Prix which was to be held in Sochi in September.
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The captain of the Polish national team, Robert Lewandowski, called on Friday in a message on Twitter for “solidarity with the victims” of the Russian attack.
“Everything that is beautiful in sport is the opposite of what war brings. For all the people who love freedom and peace, it is time for solidarity with the victims of the military aggression in Ukraine,” Lewandowski wrote, before announcing that he would speak with his teammates to reach a common position. on the subject and present it to the Polish Federation.
Now, the Bayern Munich striker supported the federation’s decision: “It’s the right decision! I cannot imagine playing a match with the Russian team in a situation where armed aggression continues in Ukraine. Russian footballers and fans are not responsible for this, but we cannot pretend that nothing is happening.”sentenced.
It is the right decision! I can’t imagine playing a match with the Russian National Team in a situation when armed aggression in Ukraine continues. Russian footballers and fans are not responsible for this, but we can’t pretend that nothing is happening. https://t.co/rfnfbXzdjF
– Robert Lewandowski (@lewy_official) February 26, 2022
The federations of Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic jointly applied on Thursday that the venue of the World Cup play-off matches scheduled for March in Russia be changed.
So far, Fifa has not taken action against Russia and on Thursday it was limited to being “concerned” about a “tragic and disturbing” situation, according to its president, Gianni Infantino.
