Given that in the short term it cannot do anything to avoid the sanctions that have been imposed on it for the invasion of Ukraine, Russian football has found an alternative way to protest and, in a certain way, to provoke. Against all odds, the Russian Football Federation has announced that it is going to present candidatures to host the European Championships of 2028 and 2032. And he also says that he means it.
The election process to host both tournaments is underway. In fact, until a few days ago it was planned that UK and Ireland were designated by acclamation as the venues for the tournament in 2028, due to the lack of alternatives. Turkey manages to join the bid and this Wednesday Russia does it, which also aspires to the appointment four years later, for which Italy is favorite.
Russian federative leaders have expressed to their country’s media that they trust that the veto to which they are subject will be momentary and, since “life goes on“, have decided to bid to organize one of the next editions of the European Championship, after hosting the World Cup in 2018, four years after Russia began its offensive against Ukraine in Crimea and Donbas.
overall veto
Russian football is currently outside the international circuit, after the sanctions applied both by UEFA how put FIFA, which prevent the participation of Russian clubs and teams in international competitions.
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This decision separated Spartak Moscow from the Europa League and left the absolute men’s team out of the play-off, which takes place this week, to play the World Cup in Qatar. The women’s team, for its part, will not be able to play this summer’s European Championship in the United Kingdom.
The Russian Federation appealed these decisions before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which, while waiting for it to get to the bottom of the matter, has dismissed the request for precautionary measures. Without much room for reaction, the way Russia has found to protest and provoke is to request the organization of the European Championship. That of course UEFA is not going to grant him.