“We have a chance to return our football to official tournaments, the move to the AFC gives us such an opportunity,” said the head of the Russian association, Alexander Dyukov. All this in connection with the future of Russian football.
For more than 10 months, the local clubs and the national team have not been able to take part in international competitions. UEFA and FIFA suspended Russia after the country’s attack on Ukraine, which saw the Russian club excluded from European competitions and the Russian national team from the World Cup play-offs.
On Tuesday, a special meeting of the board of the Russian association will decide on the transfer of clubs and the national team from the European to the Asian football federation.
– This decision will have an impact on how Russian football will develop over the next ten years. We started discussing this issue, but agreed that all possible scenarios and their consequences must be analyzed first. We will continue to discuss this and make a final decision. We have a chance to bring our football back to official tournaments. The transition to AFC gives us such an opportunity – .
“I don’t see our future at UEFA”
This idea is nothing new. Recently, he was even supported by one of Vladimir Putin’s closest associates – Igor Levitin. – Not only the Russian football federation is thinking about moving to Asia. Other sports federations that do not have the opportunity to compete on the international arena are also considering it – .
Now one of the directors of FC Chornomorets Sevastopol spoke in a similar tone. This is a club that played in the Ukrainian top league until 2014. After the Russian annexation of Crimea, the club was given the opportunity to move to the local league, but eventually chose to play in the specially created Crimean Priemjer-Liga.
– I understand that AFC, like UEFA, belongs to FIFA. And I don’t want to complain, but rather ask: what have UEFA and FIFA done for our football? Our clubs and national teams must play in international competitions, said Valery Chaly.
He added: – I do not see our future at UEFA. Today, this organization has only enemies. If the Asian federation wants to accept us and we are able to communicate, we should transfer to them without hesitation. It’s the only way to get back to tournaments at the right level.
Source: Sport
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