Russia tried to restore its image on the international sports scene Tuesday during a meeting with the leaders of the organization which oversees soccer in Europe, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).
Russian soccer federation vice-president Aleksandr Alaev declined to comment after leaving the three-hour match. It was the first talks with UEFA since Russia flip-flopped last month and withdrew its threat to leave the organization to join the Asian Soccer Confederation.
Russian clubs have been banned from all UEFA and FIFA competitions since the start of the war in Ukraine, and there is currently no way around this sanction, which has been upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS), the highest sports authority in the world.
The national teams of Poland, Switzerland and Albania refused to face Russia in preseason matches last February, just days after President Vladimir Putin’s army invaded Ukraine.
Then, when the sanctions imposed by UEFA and FIFA on February 28 were challenged before the CAS, the judges determined that allowing Russian teams to continue their activities “would cause irreparable and chaotic damage” to the competitions.
The Russian selections were therefore unable to attempt to qualify for the Men’s and Women’s Soccer World Cups, the 2022 European Women’s Soccer Championship – the Russian team was already qualified – as well as the club and junior competitions. .
UEFA also severed its commercial deal with Russian state-owned Gazprom, moved the scheduled 2022 Champions League final to Saint Petersburg’s Zenith stadium and kicked the team out of the next group stage. of the Champions League.
If a stalemate persists in soccer, sports and Olympic movement leaders from around the world held conference calls last week to explore the possibility — despite the complexity of the process — of reinstating Russian athletes and teams so that they can participate in qualifying events for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The International Olympic Committee must also hold a meeting of its board of directors on Wednesday to discuss its position on Russia, 18 months before the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. He had recommended to the international federations last February 28 to prevent Russia from participating in any sporting event or from organizing one.