27 FEBRUARY 2022, SHANK NEWS - RUSSIA HAS INVADED UKRAINE, THERE IS A WAR IN EUROPE.
DEMOCRACIES ACROSS THE WORLD HAVE SANCTIONED RUSSIA, BANNING THEM FROM EUROPEAN AIRSPACE, FREEZING ASSETS AND MUCH MORE, MEANWHILE VLADIMIR PUTIN HAS THREATENED NATO AND EU ALLIES OF UKRAINE WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS, YET THIS EVENING FIFA RELEASED THIS QUITE BREATHTAKING STATEMENT:
First and foremost, FIFA would like to reiterate its condemnation of the use of force by Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. Violence is never a solution and FIFA expresses its deepest solidarity to all people affected by what is happening in Ukraine.
FIFA calls again for the urgent restoration of peace and for constructive dialogue to commence immediately. FIFA remains in close contact with the Ukrainian Association of Football and members of the Ukrainian football community who have been requesting support to leave the country for as long as the current conflict persists.
To address football-related matters and in coordination with UEFA, the Bureau of the FIFA Council - involving the FIFA President and the six Confederation Presidents - has unanimously decided to take immediate first measures, in line with recommendations from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and that will be applicable until further notice:
• No international competition shall be played on the territory of Russia, with “home” matches being played on neutral territory and without spectators
• The member association representing Russia shall participate in any competition under the name “Football Union of Russia (RFU)” and not “Russia”
• No flag or anthem of Russia will be used in matches where teams from the Football Union of Russia participate
FIFA will continue its ongoing dialogue with the IOC, UEFA and other sport organisations to determine any additional measures or sanctions, including a potential exclusion from competitions, that shall be applied in the near future should the situation not be improving rapidly. The Bureau of the FIFA Council remains on standby to take any of these decisions.
Importantly, FIFA strongly believes that the sport movement should be united in its decisions on this topic and that sport should continue being a vector of peace and hope.
With regard to the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifiers, FIFA has taken good note of the positions expressed via social media by the Polish Football Association, the Football Association of the Czech Republic and the Swedish Football Association and has already engaged in dialogue with all of these football associations. FIFA will remain in close contact to seek to find appropriate and acceptable solutions together.
FIFA’s thoughts remain with everybody affected by this shocking and worrying situation.
SO FIFA HAVE GIVEN RUSSIA MORE OR LESS THE SAME PUNISHMENT THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN BY THE IOC FOR DOPING, FOR INVADING ANOTHER COUNTRY. DESPITE POLAND, CZECH REPUBLIC AND SWEDEN ALL REFUSING TO TAKE PART IN UPCOMING FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING PLAYOFFS INVOLVING RUSSIA, FIFA HAVE DETERMINED CHANGING THEIR NAME SLIGHTLY, NOT ALLOWING FANS OR A FLAG IS ENOUGH.
IT IS SIMPLY NOT GOOD ENOUGH AND CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO STAND BY THE REST OF FOOTBALL.
EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION RELEASED THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT:
DEMOCRACIES ACROSS THE WORLD HAVE SANCTIONED RUSSIA, BANNING THEM FROM EUROPEAN AIRSPACE, FREEZING ASSETS AND MUCH MORE, MEANWHILE VLADIMIR PUTIN HAS THREATENED NATO AND EU ALLIES OF UKRAINE WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS, YET THIS EVENING FIFA RELEASED THIS QUITE BREATHTAKING STATEMENT:
First and foremost, FIFA would like to reiterate its condemnation of the use of force by Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. Violence is never a solution and FIFA expresses its deepest solidarity to all people affected by what is happening in Ukraine.
FIFA calls again for the urgent restoration of peace and for constructive dialogue to commence immediately. FIFA remains in close contact with the Ukrainian Association of Football and members of the Ukrainian football community who have been requesting support to leave the country for as long as the current conflict persists.
To address football-related matters and in coordination with UEFA, the Bureau of the FIFA Council - involving the FIFA President and the six Confederation Presidents - has unanimously decided to take immediate first measures, in line with recommendations from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and that will be applicable until further notice:
• No international competition shall be played on the territory of Russia, with “home” matches being played on neutral territory and without spectators
• The member association representing Russia shall participate in any competition under the name “Football Union of Russia (RFU)” and not “Russia”
• No flag or anthem of Russia will be used in matches where teams from the Football Union of Russia participate
FIFA will continue its ongoing dialogue with the IOC, UEFA and other sport organisations to determine any additional measures or sanctions, including a potential exclusion from competitions, that shall be applied in the near future should the situation not be improving rapidly. The Bureau of the FIFA Council remains on standby to take any of these decisions.
Importantly, FIFA strongly believes that the sport movement should be united in its decisions on this topic and that sport should continue being a vector of peace and hope.
With regard to the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifiers, FIFA has taken good note of the positions expressed via social media by the Polish Football Association, the Football Association of the Czech Republic and the Swedish Football Association and has already engaged in dialogue with all of these football associations. FIFA will remain in close contact to seek to find appropriate and acceptable solutions together.
FIFA’s thoughts remain with everybody affected by this shocking and worrying situation.
SO FIFA HAVE GIVEN RUSSIA MORE OR LESS THE SAME PUNISHMENT THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN BY THE IOC FOR DOPING, FOR INVADING ANOTHER COUNTRY. DESPITE POLAND, CZECH REPUBLIC AND SWEDEN ALL REFUSING TO TAKE PART IN UPCOMING FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING PLAYOFFS INVOLVING RUSSIA, FIFA HAVE DETERMINED CHANGING THEIR NAME SLIGHTLY, NOT ALLOWING FANS OR A FLAG IS ENOUGH.
IT IS SIMPLY NOT GOOD ENOUGH AND CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO STAND BY THE REST OF FOOTBALL.
EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION RELEASED THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT:
SO FIFA HAS A HUGE PROBLEM. ONE ENTIRELY OF ITS OWN MAKING.
POLAND, CZECH REPUBLIC, SWEDEN AND NOW ENGLAND ARE REFUSING TO PLAY ANY MATCH AGAINST RUSSIA. THIS POTENTIALLY LEAVES QUALIFICATION FOR THE QATAR 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP IN TATTERS, AND POSES THE QUESTION, WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR FIFA TO DO THE HONOURABLE THING AND BAN RUSSIA INDEFINITELY FROM THE SPORT?
SURELY FIFA ARE NOT GOING TO GIVE THE 'FOOTBALL UNION OF RUSSIA' A BYE INTO THE WORLD CUP? AND WHAT ABOUT UKRAINE? THEY ARE DUE TO PLAY SCOTLAND NEXT MONTH IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS, THAT MATCH SURELY CANNOT GO AHEAD IN THE CURRENT SITUATION.
IF FIFA DOESN'T EXPEL RUSSIA FROM ALL LEVELS OF FOOTBALL FOR A MINIMUM OF 4 YEARS THEN THERE IS ONLY ONE ANSWER. THE REST OF EUROPE DECLINES TO PLAY IN THE FIFA WORLD CUP, AND THOSE ASSOCIATIONS HOLD TALKS ABOUT DISBANDING FIFA AND RELOCATING ITS HEADQUARTERS FROM SWITZERLAND TO LONDON. UEFA ARE SUPPORTING FIFA'S STATEMENT SO ITS TIME UEFA WAS ALSO DISBANDED, UNLESS THEY ACT AND EXPEL RUSSIA FROM EUROPEAN FOOTBALL AT NATIONAL AND CLUB LEVEL.
AGAIN, IF THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN THEN THE OTHER ASSOCIATIONS IN EUROPE MUST TAKE A STAND, AND REFUSE TO PLAY, EVEN CANCELLING THE REMAINING MATCHES OF THE UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE IF NECESSARY.
WHEN THE SPORT NEEDED A GLOBAL LEADER TO TAKE THE RIGHT ACTION ONCE AGAIN FIFA DITHERED, DELAYED AND FAILED TO DELIVER.
THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE IS MEETING ON MARCH 3 TO DETERMINE FUTURE STEPS ON RUSSIA, AND TO GIVE THEM CREDIT THEY HAVE AT LEAST HANDED OUT PUNISHMENTS TO RUSSIA, ALONG WITH THE WORLD ANTI-DOPING COUNCIL AND OTHER OLYMPIC SPORTS FEDERATIONS, AND IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE SHOULD THE IOC KICK RUSSIA OUT THEN FIFA WILL RESPOND. BUT THAT IS 3 DAYS AWAY, BY THEN RUSSIA MAY WELL HAVE TAKEN CONTROL OF UKRAINE.
IF FIFA FAILS TO EXPEL RUSSIA THEN THE REST OF FOOTBALL SHOULD NEVER LET THEM FORGET, THAT AT THE TIME THE REST OF THE WORLD NEEDED LEADERSHIP THEY WERE FOUND WANTING.
POLAND, CZECH REPUBLIC, SWEDEN AND NOW ENGLAND ARE REFUSING TO PLAY ANY MATCH AGAINST RUSSIA. THIS POTENTIALLY LEAVES QUALIFICATION FOR THE QATAR 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP IN TATTERS, AND POSES THE QUESTION, WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR FIFA TO DO THE HONOURABLE THING AND BAN RUSSIA INDEFINITELY FROM THE SPORT?
SURELY FIFA ARE NOT GOING TO GIVE THE 'FOOTBALL UNION OF RUSSIA' A BYE INTO THE WORLD CUP? AND WHAT ABOUT UKRAINE? THEY ARE DUE TO PLAY SCOTLAND NEXT MONTH IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS, THAT MATCH SURELY CANNOT GO AHEAD IN THE CURRENT SITUATION.
IF FIFA DOESN'T EXPEL RUSSIA FROM ALL LEVELS OF FOOTBALL FOR A MINIMUM OF 4 YEARS THEN THERE IS ONLY ONE ANSWER. THE REST OF EUROPE DECLINES TO PLAY IN THE FIFA WORLD CUP, AND THOSE ASSOCIATIONS HOLD TALKS ABOUT DISBANDING FIFA AND RELOCATING ITS HEADQUARTERS FROM SWITZERLAND TO LONDON. UEFA ARE SUPPORTING FIFA'S STATEMENT SO ITS TIME UEFA WAS ALSO DISBANDED, UNLESS THEY ACT AND EXPEL RUSSIA FROM EUROPEAN FOOTBALL AT NATIONAL AND CLUB LEVEL.
AGAIN, IF THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN THEN THE OTHER ASSOCIATIONS IN EUROPE MUST TAKE A STAND, AND REFUSE TO PLAY, EVEN CANCELLING THE REMAINING MATCHES OF THE UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE IF NECESSARY.
WHEN THE SPORT NEEDED A GLOBAL LEADER TO TAKE THE RIGHT ACTION ONCE AGAIN FIFA DITHERED, DELAYED AND FAILED TO DELIVER.
THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE IS MEETING ON MARCH 3 TO DETERMINE FUTURE STEPS ON RUSSIA, AND TO GIVE THEM CREDIT THEY HAVE AT LEAST HANDED OUT PUNISHMENTS TO RUSSIA, ALONG WITH THE WORLD ANTI-DOPING COUNCIL AND OTHER OLYMPIC SPORTS FEDERATIONS, AND IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE SHOULD THE IOC KICK RUSSIA OUT THEN FIFA WILL RESPOND. BUT THAT IS 3 DAYS AWAY, BY THEN RUSSIA MAY WELL HAVE TAKEN CONTROL OF UKRAINE.
IF FIFA FAILS TO EXPEL RUSSIA THEN THE REST OF FOOTBALL SHOULD NEVER LET THEM FORGET, THAT AT THE TIME THE REST OF THE WORLD NEEDED LEADERSHIP THEY WERE FOUND WANTING.
