UEFA may prevent the return of Russian teams to the international stage due to pressure from the football associations of England, Germany and France. This was reported by The Guardian newspaper on Wednesday, July 8, citing sources.
According to the publication, the largest Western European federations are still categorically opposed to the return of Russian teams. In 2023, UEFA has already refused to allow Russian youth teams to compete under pressure from its members. It should be noted that the head of the organization, Aleksander Chefrin, who plans to be re-elected in 2027, will not risk opposition from a significant part of the electorate.
FIFA is taking a more open stance, which could lead to conflict with UEFA. Earlier, the European Football Association condemned the decision of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) to allow the American national team player to participate in the World Cup match. UEFA says it refused to comment on the International Olympic Committee’s decision to lift restrictions imposed on Russian athletes message.
On July 7, the International Olympic Committee decided to restore membership in the Russian Olympic Committee and recommended lifting the restrictions imposed on Russian athletes. At the same time, reports emerged that FIFA will consider the issue of accepting Russian clubs and teams into tournaments.
Then the Minister of Sports of the Russian Federation, Mikhail Degtyarev, said that the IOC’s decision to restore the rights of the Russian Olympic Committee became a green light for international federations to restore the rights of all athletes in the country.