In fact, events are happening. Because the discussion about hosting the Champions League final in St. Petersburg, which arose immediately after the attacks began, did not last long – within hours it was clear: it will be postponed and played in Paris. Remarkable at this speed, because the European Football Association (UEFA) and also the world association (FIFA) like to advocate a separation of sport and politics and, according to critics, have gladly turned a blind eye to human rights violations in the past.
UEFA and FIFA ban Russia completely
But the suspension of the final was just the beginning, because the complete ban followed on Monday: FIFA and UEFA suspended Russia from all competitions. This has an all-encompassing effect: both club and association football are affected. So: no international matches for the Russian national team, no World Cup play-off games and consequently no World Cup in Qatar. And in club football, Russian teams are suspended from all competitions (including current ones).
UEFA separates from Gazprom
UEFA is also active in matters of sponsorship – the cooperation with the Russian sponsor Gazprom will be terminated with immediate effect, it was said. The oil company has been paying 40 million euros a year to UEFA since 2012 and was omnipresent, especially at Champions League games.
A joint statement from FIFA and UEFA said: “Football is united here and in full solidarity with all affected people in Ukraine. Both presidents hope that the situation in Ukraine will improve significantly and quickly, so that football can once again be a factor of unity and peace between people.”
Russian Football Association criticizes the approach
The Russian Football Union (RFS) reacted with incomprehension and severe criticism: This violates “all standards and principles of international competition” and “the ethos of sportsmanship and fair play,” according to a statement by the RFS on Monday evening. The RFS reserves the right to challenge FIFA and UEFA’s decision in accordance with international sports law.
The decisions were preceded by numerous boycott threats from national associations. A few hours before the FIFA and UEFA decision, several associations announced that they no longer wanted to play Russia, with Poland playing a pioneering role – after all, a World Cup play-off game against Russia was on the agenda at the end of March, and this is now also the case is lapsed.
FC Schalke also ends long-standing Gazprom deal
In European club football, too, the rate at which decisions are made against further cooperation with Russian companies has increased. The most notable example is the German FC Schalke 04. Here, too, the deal with main sponsor Gazprom is terminated after 15 years of partnership (always criticized by those around them). The already financially ailing club is making a severe financial cut.
Matthias Warning, the representative delegated by Gazprom to the Schalke supervisory board, also resigned from his position with immediate effect. Warning is CEO of the pipeline operator company “Nord Stream 2” founded by Gazprom.
Wiener Austria is also looking for a solution
But Gazprom is also involved in club football in Austria: Wiener Austria (specifically, it’s about the second team Young Violets) has a deal with the Russian group – in a first decision it was agreed to remove the logo from the jerseys (a step that Schalke also initially took). But even in Vienna favorites there are probably considerations to end the deal – but a decision is still pending.
Sponsorships have already ended elsewhere: Manchester United, for example, canceled the deal with the airline Aeroflot as the “official carrier” that had been in place since 2013 – probably also in light of the closure of British airspace. But there were also shifts at the London club Chelsea. Russian club owner Roman Abramovich announced on Saturday that he would hand over management to the trustees of Chelsea’s charitable foundation.
Unanswered questions about Abramovich and Chelsea
The move was seen as a quick response to demands in Britain to impose sanctions on Abramovich, who is close to Putin. The Russian oligarch has thus handed over control of key decisions such as transfer budgets, player transfers and coaching appointments.
Abramovich remains the owner of the club, which is reportedly not for sale. So what happens if the state were to confiscate Abramovich’s assets is unclear. Most recently, Abramovich stated that he wanted to become involved in the conflict as a mediator at the request of the Ukrainians. Nothing is known about his motives in this regard.
The German Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel had already admitted on Friday that the Russian invasion of Ukraine also affected the club. “We shouldn’t pretend that this isn’t a problem,” said Tuchel. The club condemned the Russian invasion in a statement on Sunday. “The situation is devastating. Chelsea’s thoughts are with everyone in Ukraine. Everyone at the club is praying for peace,” the statement said.
Lewandowski: Appeal and blue and yellow ribbon
With a few exceptions, it is rather unusual for coaches to take a stance on political events. This requirement is usually even stricter for players. But even this requirement is being put into perspective these days: “We are all against war and didn’t think it would come to that. It hurts to see that,” said the Polish captain of FC Bayern, Robert Lewandowski, and appealed: “The whole world must support Ukraine”.
“Sport can not take itself out”
And he – and thus also indirectly the club – set an example and wore a captain’s armband in the Ukrainian national colors at the league match in Frankfurt at the weekend. “The sport cannot take itself out. We must not accept what is happening there,” said the current world footballer. Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann also took a stand: “I could not have imagined that this would happen to this extent in Europe. That’s awful. I’m rarely afraid, but in this case I am,” Nagelsmann confessed.
Tears in Liverpool
But the flag was also shown in many other stadiums. The Everton vs. Manchester City game in England was extremely emotional before the start in Liverpool. Many fans held up banners declaring their solidarity with Ukraine. The players from Manchester wore shirts with the Ukrainian flag and the words “No war” during the warm-up. ManCity’s Ukrainian Oleksandr Zinchenko was seen fighting back tears – and Everton’s Vitaly Mykolenko of Ukraine was also visibly moved.
Russian team player says ‘No to war’
No less remarkable is a statement by the Russian national player Fedor Smolow, which he recently spread via Instagram. The 32-year-old Dynamo Moscow forward posted a black element and captioned it with the statement ‘No to war’. Two emojis also followed: a broken heart and a Ukrainian flag. Smolov was the first Sbornaya player to publicly criticize Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
Shown many times “Stop War” banners
The “Stop War” banner was also widespread at the weekend, which was shown by players of both teams in many stadiums, but also by many fan scenes – in Austria, for example, by the Rapids with a banner.
A number of international players under contract with Ukrainian football teams also made headlines as they had to flee Russian attacks along with hundreds of thousands of other people.
Trainer in camouflage suit
The recent career of Jurij Wernydub, coach of the Moldovan club Sheriff Tiraspol, also seems remarkable. Just a few months ago, he and his team from the separatist region of Transnistria caused a sensation across Europe with a win at Real Madrid. A picture of the 56-year-old in a Ukrainian military uniform can be seen on the Zorya Londonsk Twitter portal, an account run by British journalist Andrew Todos.
