Poland have insisted they will not play Russia in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match next month, even after it was announced that the fixture would be moved to a neutral venue.

FIFA announced that it had taken “immediate first measures” against Russia following the invasion of Ukraine including a ban on the country hosting international football matches, but the Polish Football Association (PZPN) has insisted it needs to go further and ban the country from this year’s men’s World Cup.

FIFA has also banned the Russian name, flag and anthem from all matches, with the country’s teams to compete under the Football Union of Russia (RFU) banner.

The measures were approved unanimously by the Bureau of the FIFA Council, and apply “until further notice”.

The International Federation said these sanctions are in line with those recommended by the international Olympic Committee (IOC), which has called on Russia – as well as its ally Belarus – to be stripped of all events which have not already been moved and for both countries’ flags and anthems to be banned.

Russia had been due to host a crucial FIFA World Cup qualifier against Poland on March 24, with the winner of the tie facing either Sweden or Czech Republic at home five days later for a place at the tournament in Qatar.

However, the PZPN believes FIFA’s sanctions do not go far enough, and has reiterated its refusal to play any match against Russia.

“Today’s FIFA decision is totally unacceptable,” the PZPN President Cezary Kulesza wrote on Twitter.

“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.”

The PZPN has also insisted that FIFA must expel Russia from the World Cup.

“A performance in a match against the Russian national team would be a shameful act not just for our players but for the entire football community, contrary to solidarity with the Ukrainian nation,” a statement read.

“As [a] football association, we refuse to participate in playoff matches in which the Russian national team appears.

“At the same time, we call on the FIFA authorities to react immediately to the brutal violence that we observe daily on the territory of independent Ukraine. 

“If FIFA’s Human Rights Policy is more than just words on a paper now is the time to put it into practice by excluding the Russian Football Association from the qualifiers for the World Cup in Qatar in 2022.”

Swedish Football Association President Karl-Erik Nilsson said that it too will maintain its stance on refusing to face Russia.

“It [the FIFA decision] was not at all what we had hoped for,” Nilsson said, as reported by Aftonbladet. 

“Our opinion is not different today and the situation has not changed in Ukraine just because we have received this message from FIFA.”

Earlier today, the Football Association of the Czech Republic joined its Polish and Swedish counterparts in refusing to play Russia in the playoffs at any venue.

Under the sanctions, Russia’s home matches are to be played behind closed doors at a neutral venue, but FIFA said it “has taken good note of the positions expressed via social media” by all three bodies and “has already engaged in dialogue” with the Member Associations in question.

It added that it “will remain in close contact to seek to find appropriate and acceptable solutions together”.

Russia hosted the last edition of the men’s FIFA World Cup in 2018, with its President Gianni Infantino awarded the Order of Friendship by the country’s President Vladimir Putin in 2019.

Infantino refused to answer questions on whether he would keep the honour following a meeting of the FIFA Council on Thursday.

Further sanctions have been promised “should the situation not be improving rapidly”, including excluding Russia from FIFA competitions altogether.

The Bureau of the FIFA Council “remains on standby to take any of these decisions”.

Any such measures will be determined following “ongoing dialogue with the IOC, UEFA and other sport organisations”.

FIFA also said it is holding ongoing discussions with the Ukrainian Association of Football to address its concerns.

“First and foremost, FIFA would like to reiterate its condemnation of the use of force by Russia in its invasion of Ukraine,” the International Federation commented.

“Violence is never a solution and FIFA expresses its deepest solidarity to all people affected by what is happening in Ukraine.

“FIFA calls again for the urgent restoration of peace and for constructive dialogue to commence immediately.

“FIFA remains in close contact with the Ukrainian Association of Football and members of the Ukrainian football community who have been requesting support to leave the country for as long as the current conflict persists.”

It added: “Importantly, FIFA strongly believes that the sport movement should be united in its decisions on this topic and that sport should continue being a vector of peace and hope.”

UEFA had moved the men’s Champions League final from Saint Petersburg to Paris on Friday (February 25) following Russia’s military offensive.

Hundreds have been killed in the conflict and many thousands more dispersed, with Russian forces entering Ukraine’s second city Kharkiv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has imposed martial law and urged citizens to take up arms to fight the invasion.

-insidethegames