MOSCOW, Sep 17, Oleg Bogatov. The Russian team because of the position of the Ukrainian Football Association (UAF) is unlikely to be allowed to participate in the draw for the qualifying tournament for the European Championship in 2024, said two-time USSR champion Anzor Kavazashvili. Earlier, UAF President Andrei Pavelko said that Ukraine was making every effort to remove the Russian team from participation in the tournament draw. This procedure should take place on October 9 in Frankfurt am Main. «I am more than sure that the Russian team will not be allowed to draw for the European Championship in 2024. And the removal of our team and our clubs is not an accidental phenomenon. But a purposeful and politically engaged by FIFA and UEFA. And therefore, what is now being done under the shout of the Ukrainian Football Association is simply surprising. And this is not the first time, «Kavazashvili said. «When Crimea was recognized as part of Russia and at the conference of the Russian Football Union ( RFU), we wanted to accept representatives of this region and Sevastopol into the bosom of our championship and Cup of Russia. But at the last minute, right at the conference, we were told about a telephone message from UEFA. That it is strictly forbidden to accept the clubs of Crimea and Sevastopol in the RFU, because the Ukrainian Football Association categorically objects to this. It turns out that this organization is higher in its rank than FIFA and UEFA. Therefore, what is happening now — this is politically directed blackmail,” the agency’s interlocutor added. Earlier, the International Football Federation (FIFA) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) published a joint statement according to which Russian teams and clubs were suspended from participation in all international competitions for an indefinite period. In mid-July, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed appeals against this decision.
