The sports minister of Ukraine has described FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s proposal to remove the ban on Russia’s participation at youth levels as “irresponsible” and “childish.”
Infantino stated that the prohibition on Russia’s involvement, which was enacted by FIFA and UEFA following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, should “definitely” be lifted, “at least at the youth level.”
He further mentioned on Sky News that the ban had “not accomplished anything” and had “resulted in increased frustration and animosity.”
“Allowing boys and girls from Russia to participate in football matches in other regions of Europe would be beneficial,” the Swiss official remarked.
Matvii Bidnyi, Ukraine’s sports minister, commented on Tuesday: “Gianni Infantino’s remarks appear irresponsible—if not childish. They separate football from the reality where children are losing their lives.”
“I would like to remind everyone that since the onset of Russia’s full-scale aggression, over 650 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have lost their lives due to Russian actions.”
“This includes more than 100 football players. One instance is Illia Perezhogin, a 10th-grade student from a Mariupol school, who was simply playing football at his school stadium when a Russian missile hit.”
“Former futsal player Viktoriia Kotliarova was killed alongside her mother during the shelling of Kyiv on December 29, 2023. She was a champion of the Kyiv Student Futsal Cup and a winner of the Dynamo Student League tournament.”
“War is a crime, not a matter of politics. It is Russia that politicizes sports and employs it to rationalize aggression. I align with the stance of the Ukrainian Association of Football, which also cautions against Russia’s return to international competitions.”
“As long as Russians persist in killing Ukrainians and politicizing sports, their flag and national symbols have no place among those who uphold values such as justice, integrity, and fair play.”
On December 17, the FIFA Council revealed plans for a new U15 festival, with a boys’ event scheduled for next year and a girls’ event in 2027. This followed a recommendation from the Olympic Summit for international sports federations to permit Russian teams and athletes to compete under their national flag at youth levels.
A media release confirming the FIFA Council’s decisions stated that the events would “be open to all 211 FIFA member associations.”
On Boxing Day last year, Alexander Dyukov, president of the Russian Football Union, remarked: “We anticipate that next year, in line with the IOC [recommendation], international football governing bodies will make decisions that will enable our teams to participate in official international competitions.”
“We hope that, considering the IOC recommendations, a solution will be found to include our teams in the appropriate groups at the next draw. We also expect similar decisions from FIFA.”
“The discussions and communications that have occurred suggest that FIFA and UEFA view the IOC’s decision favorably, although it is not obligatory for them.”
Dyukov indicated his intention to attend the upcoming UEFA Congress in Brussels, which would serve as “an opportunity to discuss our return.”
Senior officials within the European football administration, as reported by the Press Association, remain doubtful about the practical lifting of the ban even at youth levels, amid concerns that other teams would simply refuse to compete against Russia until a lasting political resolution is achieved to conclude the conflict.
