Governing Bodies
Russia stripped of major events as invasion of Ukraine intensifies
As Russian forces moved deeper into Ukraine on Friday, sports bodies moved quickly to strip Russia of events, with St Petersburg losing the Champions League final while the Formula One Grand Prix will not be held in Sochi.
Russia launched its invasion by land, air and sea on Thursday following a declaration of war by President Vladimir Putin, with an estimated 100,000 people fleeing as explosions and gunfire rocked major cities.
European soccer governing body UEFA decided to relocate the Champions League final — club soccer’s showpiece event — to the Stade de France in Paris after receiving support from French President Emmanuel Macron.
The decision was met with regret by the Kremlin but welcomed by UK Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries.
“Russia must not be allowed to exploit sporting and cultural events on the world stage to legitimise its unprovoked, premeditated and needless attack against a sovereign democratic state,” Dorries said.
Formula One, motorsport’s governing body FIA and the teams discussed the situation and came to the conclusion that it was “impossible to hold the Russian Grand Prix in the current circumstances”.
The race, which joined the calendar in 2014, was scheduled for Sept. 25 at Sochi’s Olympic Park. On Thursday, both former champion Sebastian Vettel and reigning champion Max Verstappen said it was “wrong” to race in Russia.
After Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic refused to play World Cup qualifiers in Russia, UEFA said home games of Ukrainian and Russian club and national teams competing in UEFA competitions would be played at neutral venues
That could affect Spartak Moscow’s chances in the Europa League after they were drawn with German side RB Leipzig. The Russian team had the advantage of being seeded for the draw but will now have to play the second leg at a neutral venue.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) urged international sports federations to either move or cancel sports events currently planned in Russia or Belarus.
Russian troops entered Ukraine through Belarus when the invasion began on Thursday. The IOC added the two countries’ flags should not be displayed at sports events.
Five World Cup skiing events that were scheduled to take place in Russia this weekend and next month have been cancelled or moved by the International Ski Federation (FIS) in the interest of safety and integrity of the competition.
“Participants are already on site at the two World Cup events that were planned for this weekend and FIS is working closely with the involved stakeholders to ensure their quick return back home,” it said.
‘SEPARATE FROM POLITICS’
However, there were bodies reluctant to strip Russia of events, with the international volleyball federation (FIVB) saying preparations for the men’s world championship to be held in Russia in August were proceeding as planned.
“While the FIVB believes that sport should always remain separate from politics, we are closely monitoring the situation to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all participants at our events which is our top priority,” the FIVB told Reuters.
The FIVB did not say whether there would be any sanctions for the Russian volleyball federation.
English Premier League club Manchester United said they have withdrawn Russian airline Aeroflot’s sponsorship rights. Aeroflot was banned from flying to the United Kingdom on Thursday with its foreign carrier permit suspended.
Finnish ice hockey team Jokerit said they were ending their Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) season ahead of next month’s playoffs.
Club chairman Jari Kurri said he took the decision on Thursday but had to delay an announcement until he discussed it with the league first.
The team has regularly qualified for the playoffs but Kurri said it was “impossible” to continue their season in the Russian-based league.
The International Tennis Federation also has events scheduled in Russia and Ukraine this year. But it took steps to postpone a World Tennis Tour tournament scheduled to take place in Ukraine in April.
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) said the Chess Olympiad and FIDE Congress will not take place in Moscow later this year and were doing their “utmost to find another organiser for the Olympiad”.
The Board of European Aquatics also postponed competitions in Russia, including an upcoming women’s water polo Euro League quarter-final game, to a date and place yet to be confirmed.
Reuters
FIFA’s independent Ethics Committee has banned former Guyana Football Federation (GFF) General Secretary Ian Alves from all football-related activities for five years after finding he sexually harassed female staff members.
FIFA also fined Alves 20,000 Swiss francs ($22,000) after determining that he had breached provisions of the FIFA Code of Ethics relating to the protection of physical and mental integrity, abuse of position and general duties.
“FIFA has a strict stance against all forms of abuse in football,” the organisation said on Monday.
The decision followed a review of written statements from the victims, documents provided by the GFF, submissions from Alves, and other evidence gathered during the investigation.
Alves stepped down from his position in 2024.
The ban came into force on Monday, when the terms of the decision were notified to Alves, and the full grounds for the ruling will be communicated within 60 days in accordance with the Code of Ethics, FIFA added.
The GFF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Alves could not immediately be reached for comment.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that he planned to seek re-election for a fourth term in a bid to continue to lead the governing body of world soccer.
Infantino confirmed he would run for the 2027–2031 term in the closing moments of the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, which comes less than two months before the start of the World Cup.
The election will be held on March 18 in Morocco, which is set to co-host the 2030 World Cup.
Infantino said he was “honoured and humbled” to have the chance to run for a fourth term.
The Italian-Swiss took office in 2016, replacing Sepp Blatter, and was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023.
Infantino has pushed for the expansion of FIFA competitions during his tenure, with this year’s World Cup in North America the first to feature 48 teams, while the women’s tournament in 2023 has been expanded to 32 teams.
Infantino’s tenure has also drawn some criticism over issues such as high World Cup ticket prices and the decision to award the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to U.S. President Donald Trump at the World Cup draw in December.
Earlier this month, the council of South American football’s governing body (CONMEBOL) said in a statement it would unanimously support the 56-year-old if he decided to seek another term.
-Reuters
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The supporters of Vancouver Whitecaps, a professional football (soccer) club in Canada, have staged a protest outside the FIFA Congress on Thursday, voicing fears that the Major League Soccer club could be relocated as uncertainty deepens over its ownership and long-term future.
The club is one of Canada’s most historic football institutions and has long been a central part of Vancouver’s sporting identity.
Around 100 fans gathered as delegates arrived for the annual FIFA meeting in Vancouver, chanting, singing and waving club flags in a show of solidarity. The demonstration comes just days after Vancouver Whitecaps FC revealed difficulties in securing a buyer willing to keep the club in the city.
The Whitecaps disclosed earlier this week that “stadium economics, venue access and revenue limitations” have complicated efforts to sell the club, despite a 16-month search for new ownership.
Season ticket holder Derek Hawksworth said supporters felt compelled to act amid growing fears of relocation.
“I wanted to come down given the threat of the team possibly moving,” he said. “It’s a rich history with the Whitecaps in North America… we want Vancouver to stay and not relocate. The history is here, and we want to continue with that history moving forward.”
The Vancouver Whitecaps are a professional football (soccer) club based in Vancouver, Canada. They currently compete in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top-tier league in the United States and Canada.
Concerns were heightened by reports that cities such as Las Vegas and Phoenix are leading contenders should the club relocate.
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has urged intervention, calling on the provincial government — which owns BC Place — to negotiate a “bridge deal” that would allow the team to remain while plans for a new stadium are explored. The club’s current lease at BC Place expires at the end of the year.
Despite the off-field uncertainty, the Whitecaps have been one of the standout teams this MLS season. They currently sit second in the Western Conference with 24 points from nine matches, just three points behind the San Jose Earthquakes.
For supporters, however, performances on the pitch offer little comfort as the future of their club hangs in the balance — a situation they hope global football leaders gathering in Vancouver will not ignore.
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