The Russian Football Federation (RFS) voted on Wednesday against a departure from UEFA to the Asian Confederation (AFC), after months of reflection and threats to leave the European association, which has excluded it from its competitions since the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine. “We decided not to go (from UEFA) to Asia. Everyone supported this decision unanimously,” said RFS Vice-President Akhmed Aidamirov, quoted by the Tass news agency.
According to Mikhail Guerchkovitch, member of the executive committee of the Russian Federation, “we voted unanimously against because there are no guarantees from Fifa”, the body which governs world football, accept such a change. A transfer to the AFC would also have had significant financial consequences for Russian clubs. Thus, “we have decided to continue contacts with UEFA,” said Mr. Guerchkovitch. “We will see how the situation develops next year,” he added, quoted by the Ria Novosti agency.
Since the start of the year, a working group has been created with UEFA to discuss a possible reintegration of Russian clubs into European competitions (Champions League, Europa League, Europa Conference League) and Sbornaïa, selection, in continental tournaments.
This season, no Russian club is participating in the European Cups and Russia has not taken part in recent months in the Euro-2024 qualifiers, a competition which will take place in Germany from June 14 to July 14. The Russian Federation was excluded on February 28, 2022, four days after the start of the Russian assault in Ukraine, from all competitions organized by UEFA.
Since then, a debate has agitated the world of Russian football on the course of action to follow, between supporters of leaving UEFA, at the risk of never being able to return, and defenders of a status quo while waiting for the possible end of the conflict in Ukraine and Western sanctions.
Finally, last September, UEFA authorized the return of Russian teams under the age of 17 to European football competitions, a decision which did not at all please Ukraine and its Polish ally in particular, making resurface the fear of boycotts in European tournaments.
