UEFA President about the possibility of allowing Russia to participate in international competition

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin discussed the possibility of reinstating the Russian national team and Russian clubs in UEFA competitions in the near future.

"There is no pressure regarding this matter, and we have never faced pressure to allow them to participate again. Generally, I am against any boycott. But in this case, after the onset of the war, we were simply obliged to act. We were among the first to take this step. I don't think football can significantly help in this situation. But each of us can do something.

We have already discussed whether to allow Russian youth teams back into our competitions. Why should this affect children who cannot even vote in their country? But at this moment, it is impossible because some associations are heavily influenced by their governments. I still say: children in Russia are being raised with the propaganda that we do not love, hate, or accept them. The moment they come here and perhaps meet other 15-16-year-olds from Germany, Slovenia, or elsewhere, they might see things differently.

But currently, an entire generation in Russia is being raised with even more hatred. The whole situation in Europe is frightening. It scares me," Čeferin said.

It should be noted that Russian football clubs and national teams were excluded from official competitions under the auspices of UEFA and FIFA due to the military aggression against Ukraine, which has been ongoing since February 2022.