UEFA Vice-President apologized for the proposal to admit Russian youth teams

First Vice-President of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), head of the Swedish Football Association (SvFF) Karl-Erik Nilsson apologized for the proposal to admit Russian youth teams. His words are quoted on the website of the Swedish Sports Confederation.

He expressed regret that his position was misunderstood and he “does not continue to defend our common position.”

“However, I understand that UEFA wants to check whether we have thought correctly from the point of view of children, to eliminate the risk that they could be punished for acts of violence committed by adults,” Nilsson said.

On September 26, the UEFA Executive Committee proposed allowing Russian national teams among players under 17 years of age to participate in international tournaments. The organization noted that the proposal includes admission in a neutral status, that is, athletes can receive the right to compete without the flag and anthem.

The Football Association of England announced that junior teams will refuse matches with Russian teams. The organization emphasized that it opposes the return of Russia to the number of participants in competitions under the auspices of UEFA. Later, similar statements were made by Poland, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, Norway and Romania. Ukraine called on other countries to boycott the games. UEFA has vowed to try to quell disagreements among national federations.