Poland FA blast FIFA over “unacceptable†decision to make them play Russia in World Cup match
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Loading... - Justin Black
- 28 Feb 2022
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FIFA announced that it had taken "immediate first measures" against Russia following the invasion of Ukraine including a ban on the country hosting international football matches, but the Polish Football Association (PZPN) has insisted it needs to go further and ban the country from this year's men's World Cup.
FIFA has also banned the Russian name, flag and anthem from all matches, with the country's teams to compete under the Football Union of Russia (RFU) banner.
The measures were approved unanimously by the Bureau of the FIFA Council, and apply "until further notice".
The International Federation said these sanctions are in line with those recommended by the international Olympic Committee (IOC), which has called on Russia - as well as its ally Belarus - to be stripped of all events which have not already been moved and for both countries' flags and anthems to be banned.
Russia had been due to host a crucial FIFA World Cup qualifier against Poland on March 24, with the winner of the tie facing either Sweden or Czech Republic at home five days later for a place at the tournament in Qatar.
However, the PZPN believes FIFA's sanctions do not go far enough, and has reiterated its refusal to play any match against Russia.
"Today’s FIFA decision is totally unacceptable," the PZPN President Cezary Kulesza wrote on Twitter.
"We are not interested in participating in this game of appearances.
"Our stance remains intact: Polish National Team will not play with Russia, no matter what the name of the team is."
The PZPN has also insisted that FIFA must expel Russia from the World Cup.
"A performance in a match against the Russian national team would be a shameful act not just for our players but for the entire football community, contrary to solidarity with the Ukrainian nation," a statement read.
"As [a] football association, we refuse to participate in playoff matches in which the Russian national team appears.
"At the same time, we call on the FIFA authorities to react immediately to the brutal violence that we observe daily on the territory of independent Ukraine.
"If FIFA’s Human Rights Policy is more than just words on a paper now is the time to put it into practice by excluding the Russian Football Association from the qualifiers for the World Cup in Qatar in 2022."
Swedish Football Association President Karl-Erik Nilsson said that it too will maintain its stance on refusing to face Russia.
"It [the FIFA decision] was not at all what we had hoped for," Nilsson said, as reported by Aftonbladet.
"Our opinion is not different today and the situation has not changed in Ukraine just because we have received this message from FIFA."
Earlier today, the Football Association of the Czech Republic joined its Polish and Swedish counterparts in refusing to play Russia in the playoffs at any venue.
Under the sanctions, Russia's home matches are to be played behind closed doors at a neutral venue, but FIFA said it "has taken good note of the positions expressed via social media" by all three bodies and "has already engaged in dialogue" with the Member Associations in question. Read More…
