Ukraine slams Infantino over Russia football comments

Ukraine’s sports minister has condemned FIFA president Gianni Infantino after he suggested the governing body may consider lifting the ban on Russian teams.

Russian national sides and clubs were suspended from all FIFA and UEFA competitions in February 2022 following the country’s invasion of Ukraine. The ban has prevented Russia from participating in major tournaments, including the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024, and has ruled them out of the 2026 World Cup.

However, Infantino recently claimed the ban “has not achieved anything” and argued it “has just created more frustration and hatred.” He added that allowing Russian children to play football in other parts of Europe could help ease tensions.

As reported by BBC Sports on Tuesday, Ukraine’s sports minister, Matvii Bidnyi, responded with strong criticism, describing Infantino’s comments as “irresponsible” and “infantile.”

Speaking to Sky News, Bidnyi said the FIFA president was detaching football from the reality of the war in Ukraine, where “children are being killed.”

“War is a crime, not politics. It is Russia that politicises sport and uses it to justify aggression,” Bidnyi said.

He also voiced support for the Ukrainian Association of Football’s stance against Russia returning to international competitions, saying: “As long as Russians continue killing Ukrainians and politicising sport, their flag and national symbols have no place among people who respect values such as justice, integrity and fair play.”

Infantino’s comments come amid renewed debate over Russia’s future in international sport. While FIFA and UEFA’s bans remain in place, Russia has continued to play matches against non-Western nations without needing permission from the governing bodies.

Infantino has previously faced scrutiny for his links to Russia, having been awarded the Russian Order of Friendship by President Vladimir Putin after Russia hosted the 2018 World Cup.

Ukraine has also criticised the International Paralympic Committee for lifting its ban on athletes from Russia and Belarus. The Ukrainian National Paralympic Committee said the move allowed the two countries to “raise their flags, drenched in the blood of hundreds of thousands of people.”