The sports world, also alarmed, prepares its response to the Russian attack on Ukrainethis Thursday, threatening the suspension of several events linked to the two countries, starting with the final of the Soccer Champions League, scheduled for St. Petersburg at the end of May, which could be moved to another place.
The UEFAwhich “firmly” condemned the Russian military invasion on Thursday, decided to urgently meet its executive committee on Friday.
Its members could decide on changes to the calendar for the coming months, including taking sanctions against Moscow, in line with the international community.
At the peak of the pyramid of sporting events in Russia is the Champions League final on May 28 in St. Petersburg, whose stadium is named after the gas giant Gazprom, one of UEFA’s main sponsors since 2012.
“No decision has been made” by UEFA at the moment, but the European confederation is “working on different options” to relocate the match, explained a close source.
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No handball in Ukraine
Moscow also plans to host the semifinal of a 2022 World Cup playoff between Russia and Poland on March 24, and perhaps the final against Sweden or the Czech Republic if the ‘Sbornaïa’ defeat Robert Lewandowski’s team.
In a joint statement, the soccer federations of Poland, the Czech Republic and Sweden requested that it not be played in Russia.
In addition to the Champions League final, the Polish Ministry of Sports also suggested the withdrawal of Russia from the organization of the men’s volleyball World Cup, which begins on August 26.
For its part, the German soccer club Schalke (second division) decided to remove the name and logo of the Russian gas company Gazprom, its main sponsor, from its shirts.
Earlier, Matthias Warnig, the CEO of the company operating the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which links Russia with Germany, resigned from the board of directors of the ‘mining’ club, after receiving sanctions from the United States.
The Betis-Zenit match of the Europa League soccer went on as planned this Thursday. Zenit is owned by Gazprom.
The FC Barcelona basketball team canceled its trip to Saint Petersburg, where it was scheduled to play a Euroleague match against Zenit on Friday.
Formula 1 world champions Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel are also not seen participating in the Russian GP in September.
Playing in Ukraine seems even more complicated. The European Handball Federation (EHF) decided to relocate or postpone the matches that were to be played on Ukrainian soil for the next four weeks.
The explosion of the conflict led the Ukrainian soccer league on Thursday to suspend the Ukrainian championship, which was due to resume this Friday after more than two months of local winter break.
‘Not to the war’
Several foreign players and coaches were alarmed by the situation, faced with the dilemma of whether to leave the territory or remain loyal to their clubs.
“We are in a hotel due to this whole situation. We ask for the support of the Brazilian government, which can help us, and you so that this video reaches the largest possible number of viewers”, said defender Marlon, 26, one of the thirteen Brazilian players of Shakhtar Donetsk, a frequent participant in the European Champions League.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) accused Moscow on Thursday of having violated the Olympic truce by invading Ukraine, and announced its willingness to offer humanitarian assistance to Ukrainian athletes. The Beijing Winter Paralympics are held from March 4 to 13 and the Olympic Games ended on Sunday.
“IOC President Thomas Bach reiterates today his call for peace launched in the speeches he delivered at the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games,” the IOC said in its statement.
Outside the country, several Ukrainian footballers took up positions, such as Benfica striker Roman Yaremchuk or Manchester City defender Oleksandr Zinchenko. “Glory to Ukraine,” tennis player Elena Svitolina wrote on Instagram.
Russian international footballer Fedor Smolov wrote “No to war” next to a Ukrainian flag and a halved heart.
Tennis player Andrey Rublev advocated “peace” after his victory in the quarterfinals of the Dubai Tournament, which “has no importance” in view of the “terrible context.”
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Source: Gestion
Ricardo is a renowned author and journalist, known for his exceptional writing on top-news stories. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he is known for his ability to deliver breaking news and insightful analysis on the most pressing issues of the day.
