Gershkovich: FIFA violated the principle of sport, which has always followed

MOSCOW, February 28, Vasily Bogdanov.A member of the executive committee of the Russian Football Union (RFU), Mikhail Gershkovich, said that FIFA had violated the sports principle with sanctions against the Russian team. home matches on a neutral field and without spectators, and also banned the use of the flag and anthem of Russia in international matches involving teams of the Russian Football Union. FIFA has taken note of the positions of the football federations of Poland, the Czech Republic and Sweden, which refused to play with the Russian national team in the selection for the 2022 World Cup and is in dialogue with them. According to a FIFA statement, the organization will continue its dialogue with the International Olympic Committee and UEFA to determine additional sanctions, including the possible removal of the Russian team from the competition. that they are under powerful pressure, so a similar decision was made. Of course, there is hope that they will change their minds there. It is very unfortunate that the national team will not be able to play with their fans. An unpleasant situation, but we have already been in such situations. Others sports that fell under the IOC sanctions somehow coped with them, performed at various competitions. But I repeat that this is all very disappointing, «said Gershkovich. «Will our footballers abroad be subjected to the same pressure? I would not do anything Clubs can be put under pressure just like FIFA. It is worth preparing for any scenarios. We need to develop a method of how to react to all this. What reaction would be correct, I can not say. Ready to comment on football topics, but this is pure politics. It is up to our political authorities to prepare a behavioral strategy,» the agency's interlocutor added.