One of the most controversial topics in football - the exclusion of Russian national teams and clubs from international competitions - has returned to the agenda.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated that the ban did not yield the expected results in practice; on the contrary, it intensified "more despair and hatred." He emphasized that sport, especially football, should not become a punitive zone for political decisions.
Infantino believes that this restriction will have a severe impact, especially on young people: it would be beneficial for everyone if girls and boys from Russia had the opportunity to play football in other parts of Europe. That is, he puts forward the idea that if communication through sports is maintained, tensions can be eased.
At the same time, the FIFA head gave a sharp signal regarding the organization's rules: he stated that FIFA should consider banning the practice of disqualifying national teams for political reasons altogether. In other words, he expressed his support for closing the road in the future due to "political reasons - exclusion from football."
As a reminder, Russian teams have been excluded from FIFA and UEFA competitions since 2022 following the conflict with Ukraine. Infantino says it's time to review this "long ban," which has lasted for nearly four years.
The conclusion is this: the position that football should remain football is being openly stated at FIFA's top. Now the main question is whether these words will become practical decisions or remain as the next major debate. For the fans, it's best: there should be competition on the field, and external factors shouldn't spoil the spirit of the game.
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