Ivan OrekhovSport correspondentAll materialsOn May 2, the paths of Russia and the 2022/23 football season, as expected, diverged. So, why did the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) so shocked domestic fans the day before? Let's go through the main ones:
- —no European cups next season (taking into account the lost «spring» we remain out of international competitions for at least a year and a half);
- —no League of Nations, Women's EURO 2022 or U-21 qualification;
- —of course, Russia's bid to host championships was rejected Europe in 2028 and 2032.
And this despite the fact that the other day the head of UEFA, Alexander Ceferin, called our and Belarusian athletes «innocent of what is happening» and hinted at a goodwill gesture that would show the world that sanctions are not aimed at athletes at all. In addition, the International Football Federation (FIFA) did not let hope fade away, which in March did not expel the Russian Football Union (RFU) from the organization. Apparently, something went wrong and politics still prevailed over «eternal» values .. More details — here: