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Cezary Kulesza, President of the Polish Football Association: “Today’s FIFA decision is totally unacceptable. We are not interested in participating in this game of appearances. Our stance remains intact: Polish National Team will NOT PLAY with Russia, no matter what the name of the team is.”
Today’s FIFA decision is totally unacceptable. We are not interested in participating in this game of appearances. Our stance remains intact: Polish National Team will NOT PLAY with Russia, no matter what the name of the team is.
— Cezary Kulesza (@Czarek_Kulesza) February 27, 2022
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View Reddit by poklane – View Source
This is in response to FIFA announcing that Russia will continue to compete under the name “Russian Football Union”, with their home matches being played on neutral ground and without the Russian flag or anthem being used. Sweden also has once again confirmed that they will refuse to play Russia, despite these changes: [https://www.fotbollskanalen.se/sverige/bekraftat-fifa-exkluderar-inte-ryssland-far-spela-pa-neutral-plan/](https://www.fotbollskanalen.se/sverige/bekraftat-fifa-exkluderar-inte-ryssland-far-spela-pa-neutral-plan/)
DeepL translation:
>Here’s the decision that could cost Sweden a World Cup place. Fifa confirms it will not throw Russia out of the playoff. The country will be allowed to finish qualifying under a different name, without a national anthem and on a neutral field. But SvFF stands by its decision to refuse to play against the Russian national team, says Karl-Erik Nilsson for Fotbollskanalen.
>After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sweden as well as Poland and the Czech Republic, who were drawn in Russia’s World Cup playoff group, have announced that they will refuse to play the Russian national team.
>But Fifa will not throw Russia out of the competition. Instead, they are announcing in a statement that Russia will be allowed to continue playing – but that they will not be allowed to play under the Russian flag, use their name, play their national anthem or play on Russian soil.
>Russia will be allowed to play under the name: “Football Union of Russia”, according to Fifa.
>The decision means that Sweden, if it sticks to its position, will lose its World Cup place – as long as Fifa does not change its mind on the issue. And Sweden stands by its decision to refuse to play against the Russian national team, says SvFF president Karl-Erik Nilsson to Fotbollskanalen.
> It is clear that we are not satisfied with this, says Nilsson.
> Our opinion is not different today and the situation has not changed in Ukraine just because we have received this message from Fifa, so we have no different opinion today but we also want to talk with Poland and the Czech Republic so that we can unanimously feed back to Fifa what we think, but we had expected a sharper position from Fifa, we had done that.
>How do you see the risk of this costing Sweden a World Cup place?
> It is still a long time until then and I find it extremely difficult to imagine that Fifa would punish us for taking this position. Then I think Fifa is making a fatal mistake, because as much support as we have seen and received from football friends around the world over the last 24 hours, I don’t feel worried about it, but that’s one of the things we need to have a dialogue with Fifa about in the next few days here now.
>Fifa announces that it is currently in dialogue with the SvFF and the other federations concerned, with whom it will be in “close contact in order to find together appropriate and acceptable solutions”.
>The Polish Football Association also states that it will not budge on the issue. It refuses to continue playing against the Russian national team.
>”Fifa’s decision is totally unacceptable. Our position is intact: the Polish national team will NOT PLAY against Russia, no matter what the name of the team is”, writes the president of the Polish federation Cezary Kulesza on Twitter.
>The international football federation also writes in its statement that it will “continue its ongoing dialogue with the IOC, Uefa and other sporting bodies to decide on possible further measures or sanctions, including a potential exclusion from competitions, if the situation (in Ukraine, ed. note) does not improve quickly”.
>Sweden will face the Czech Republic in the semi-finals of the World Cup play-off on 24 March. The original set-up for the decider is that the winner of that match will face the winner between Russia and Poland in a deciding final, while the losers will meet in a practice match.
>When the SvFF announced its decision to refuse to play Russia, President Karl-Erik Nilsson said:
> The illegal and deeply unjust invasion of Ukraine currently makes all football exchanges with Russia impossible. We therefore call on Fifa to decide that the play-off matches in March involving Russia will be cancelled. But whatever Fifa decides to do, we will not play Russia in March.
> We find it hard to believe that Fifa will not follow our call. Russia cannot be involved as long as this madness continues.
Well shit Russia is now the guy from school who nobody wants to play with.
So if FIFA stands their ground and others boycott playing against Russia as well, it means that in the end that ~~Russia~~ Russian Football Union, will be the new world champ?
Maybe that’s Putins plan?
Perhaps ALL national teams need to refuse to play any games indefinitely.
Lmaoo they really just decided to change the coat of paint and hopefully the international community will buy it. What a joke. FIFA HQ needs to burn.
I like how they still include Russia in the name.
Good! Keep them under pressure! Show them that sport is about friendship, passion and fair play, and not about money and kleptocracies!
This is just like the ‘Russian Olympic Committee’ allowed in the Olympics but ‘Russia’ is not. Sport authorities need to make a stand instead of messing around like this.
Why is fifa so greedy about this stuff. They’re the biggest sport by a significant margin. They could drop Russia entirely and not even feel the effect
Good. There is no reason why they should go play there and validate the regime even more. Russia has done enough to Poland.
Why does it matter? These players are not invading Ukraine. They cannot help who their leader is and what he does. Will Poland also demand to not play an Iranian team? American? China? Mexico since they seem to allow the cartels cart Blanche.
FIFA surprisingly makes a stupid decision? They’re known being so reliably wise /s
FIFA and Russian kleptocracy vying for corruption preeminence.
So it comes down to spectators. Don’t buy tickets. Put your wallets where your mouths are. Let FIFA own it, no matter how much it hurts.
I stand with the Pols
Any Russian fans have the balls to wear a team jersey? Cuz you gonna get lynched at a game.
If No one plays Russia, Russia will become champions.
So FIFA is gutless….but perhaps these companies are not without exposure if action isn’t taken. Notable how 2 of the top sponsors are American…. https://www.fifaworldcupnews.com/fifa-world-cup-2022-sponsors-list/
If the Russian team has an ounce of class, they will also not show up to their damn games. What an absolute farce.
As if we needed anymore proof that FIFA is corrupt af…
It would be the perfect thing to spell the demise of Putin. First all of their assets are cut away from them, airspace banned, heavy sanctions. The population of Russia is already pissed off, imagine if everyone in the country heard that they would not be allowed to compete for the World Cup. Riots and civil unrest, down with Putin.
Such a huge message.
What I want to know is, what is **UEFA**’s position in all this?
They should only let them play if they change their name to “Pootin sucks dick”
Fuck FIFA. It needs to be abolished. It’s corruption has made the organization a farce. Something better must be created.
“FIFA, go fuck yourself.”
Once the world disbands the Putin government. Can we please move onto Fifa. 🙏
Why doesn’t Poland and the rest of the teams (except Russia) start their own federation and earn tons of money and fans playing in countries that deserve the tourism and funds. Hey we all knowFIFA is corrupt. Ditch them and start over with players having more say and earning more money… just a thought.
Fifa is really going to prefer to let Russia play than have LEWANGOALSKI possibly miss the WC?
Fuck Russia.
Fifa is a corrupted sport organization
Period
Boycott the sport
Time for other teams not in the Russian group to take a stance I guess. Then Russia still wouldn’t have any teams to play even if they forfeited their way to the quarters.
Fifa should come up with a name like in their video game FIFA ala Piemonte Calcio (Juventus). I like North China or Drago Land.
The US media machine strikes again. Tons of Americans that can barely grasp geography are now picking sides between to countries. One they know as the villain in almost every action spy movie, the other they’re unable to locate on map. Good job guys!
If all countries also did this for the World Cup coming this year. It could be a really short World Cup.
FIFA trying to pull the same shit the Olympics did. Glad to see someone finally call out an organization for trying to do that shit.
Russia pays best bribes. FIFA stay bought.
Remind me what exactly the athletes of a country have to do with whatever the politicians of this country do?
Russia confirmed world cup winners
Yes, FIFA. That bastion of honestly, integrity, truthfulness and justice. Always count on them to do the right thing.
Why is the world so eager to punish an innocent football team? Wtf do you all expect these players to do?
All countries should refuse to play them and let them win the World cup we’ll see if they are prepared to keep them then.
I feel for the Ukrainians, but what bothers me here is the double standards we’re witnessing! So basically taking a stand against Russia for their aggression against Ukraine is a heroic action. Whereas when an athlete takes the same stand against Israel which is also an aggressor againt the Palestinians, they’re accused of hatred and antisemitism. Such hypocrisy! This world is truly unjust and cruel where certain lives valued more than others!?
By the way, I’m not saying I’m with FIFA’s decision. I’m just pointing out the clear double standards that I’m seeing on the internet. Yes, ban Russia, but then also ban Israel! Or should we “keep politics out of sports”?
FIFA is about money. Always has been. They don’t give a shit about anything else.