Governing Bodies
See the weapons of war in Ukraine that have affected global sports
Apart from the Covid-19 pandemic, no other issue has adversely affected global sports like the on-going Russia-Ukraine war. Different international sports federations have had to take decision targeting Russian interests as the war drags on.
Reuters presents the graphics of the weapons of the war in Ukraine. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began on Feb. 24 with strikes from land, sea and air in the largest military assault by one European state on another since World War Two. Despite an initial battle plan that Western countries said was aimed at swiftly toppling Ukraine’s government in Kyiv, Russia has control of only one Ukrainian city so far – the southern Dnipro River port of Kherson.
During the first week of war, Russia shifted from 1 strategic strikes against military targets using cruise missiles to a 2 stalled ground attack and, currently, a broader 3 siege of major cities, including bombardments using rocket artillery and cluster munitions, sometimes against residential buildings and civilian infrastructure. Moscow denies targeting civilians, and calls its actions in Ukraine a “special military operation” to disarm its neighbour and remove leaders it considers dangerous nationalists. Ukraine and Western allies call it an unprovoked invasion that has killed hundreds of civilians.
As the invasion heads into its third week, hundreds of thousands of people in Mariupol, the main port of eastern Ukraine, have been surrounded and under heavy bombardment, with no water or power or way to safely evacuate the wounded, officials there say. In Kharkiv and Kyiv, missiles hit residential buildings. Millions of Ukrainians have already fled the country as refugees.
Left – Surveillance footage shows a missile hitting a residential building in Kyiv, Ukraine, February 26, 2022, in this still image taken from a video obtained by REUTERS
Right – People walk past the remains of a missile at a bus terminal in Kyiv, Ukraine March 4, 2022. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko
1 Targeted missile attacks
During the initial hours of the invasion, cruise missiles were widely deployed, and precision short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) were fired en masse in a war for the first time. According to U.S. estimates, the first Russian onslaught included more than 100 missiles launched from land and sea.
First day of attacks
Russian air and missile strikes against Ukrainian military sites and infrastructure on Feb. 24
Source: Janes, open-source defence intelligence provider; Natural Earth; United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA); Worldpop.org
Russia most likely used its only SRBM in active service, the Iskander-M, said Timothy Wright, a research analyst with the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
Ukraine has a limited supply of much older ballistic missiles, the OTR-21 Tochka, and in the first days of the war used at least one to attack a Russian air base inside Russia, according to media reports.
According to the IISS, the Iskander-M has greater range than the Tochka and its launchers can carry more than one missile. Each Iskander launcher has an armoured cover for the missiles, and its cabin is hardened against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear hazards, as well as extreme temperatures. The vehicle can drive off-road and can travel at speeds up to 70 km/h (43 mph) for 1,100 km (684 miles). The Iskander-M has circular error probable (CEP) of 5-7 metres, meaning half of the projectiles fired will land in a circle with a radius of that size. The Tochka, by contrast, has a CEP of 90m.
On Friday, Feb. 25, Ukraine’s military command said areas near the cities of Sumy, Poltava and Mariupol were hit by Russian 3M14 Kalibr cruise missiles launched at the country from the Black Sea.
The Kalibr is a land-attack cruise missile (LACM) with an estimated range of 1,500 to 2,500 km. Meant for precision strikes, its exact CEP is unknown but is estimated to be less than 5m.
Some Russian strikes at air bases appeared relatively limited, however, and in instances missed vital targets, such as hitting stored rather than operational aircraft, said Joseph Dempsey, a defence researcher at IISS. Ukraine has the Cold War-era Russian-made S-300v anti-aircraft missile system, which also has anti-ballistic missile capabilities, Wright said. It is unclear whether any engaged the Russian missiles, and some S-300v vehicles appeared to have been destroyed by strikes, he added.
As Moscow failed to swiftly overthrow Ukraine’s government in the first days of the attack, the results of its missile campaign appear to have been mixed at best. Although vastly outmatched by Russian airpower in terms of size, Ukraine’s air force is still operating, and experts say its air defences remain viable – a fact that has baffled some military analysts.
2 Stalled ground war
In the two main fronts in the east and north, Russia so far has little to show for its advance, with Ukraine’s two biggest cities, Kyiv and Kharkiv, holding out in the face of increasingly intense bombardment.
Ukrainian civilians are supporting regular troops as they try to repel Russia’s advance, including through civil defence units and independent militia that have formed across the country.
Urban guerrilla
The use of unconventional warfare in urban environments has become one of the main challenges for Russian forces. Buildings and trees in densely populated areas serve as hiding places for the Ukrainian soldiers.
Russian forces are becoming increasingly frustrated by what the United States believes is a viable and very determined Ukrainian resistance even as Moscow has committed almost all of the forces set aside for the invasion, U.S. defence officials said this week.
Left – A destroyed Russian Army all-terrain infantry mobility vehicle Tigr-M (Tiger) on a road in Kharkiv, Ukraine February 28, 2022. REUTERS/Vitaliy Gnidyi
Right – People take part in a military exercise for civilians conducted by veterans of the Ukrainian National Guard Azov battalion, amid threat of Russian invasion, in Kyiv, Ukraine February 6, 2022. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
The United States and European nations have supplied Ukraine with a variety of hardware, including advanced weapons that can destroy armoured vehicles. These missiles can be particularly effective in urban settings, with more opportunities for teams to conceal themselves for ambushes.
Among these weapons are the NLAW, the next-generation antitank missile system developed jointly between UK and Sweden, and the FGM-148 Javelin, a U.S. lightweight system that can destroy tanks from several kilometers away.
Photos from Ukraine have shown abandoned Russian vehicles, including tanks, raising questions about logistical failures alongside Ukranian attacks. “They simply don’t have a lot of experience moving on another nation state at this level of complexity and size,” a senior U.S. defence official said of the Russian army.
The official said it was unclear whether it was a failure in planning or execution, but added that Russian forces were likely to adapt and change the way they operate.
Left – Ukrainian service members unload a shipment of military aid delivered as part of the U.S’s security assistance to Ukraine on January 25, 2022. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
Right – Lithuania’s military aid including Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, delivered as part of the security support package for Ukraine on February 13, 2022. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko
Another tool that has become important for Ukrainians in their fight is the Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicle – a Turkish-made drone that can carry small anti-armor weapons. Ukraine’s ambassador to Ankara, Vasyl Bodnar, has said the drones had been very efficient; videos posted by Ukraine’s military showed them being used to destroy vehicles in Russian convoys. Turkey has sold Kyiv several batches of TB2 drones, which it had deployed against Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.
The drone can carry small anti-vehicle weapons, most likely the Roketsan MAM-L “smart micro munition,” which follows a laser to its targets and can glide up to 8 km before impact, according to its manufacturer. The bombs weigh only 22kg but are designed to use a small charge to punch through armor and destroy a vehicle.
Illustration showing the technical specifications of the Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drone used by Ukraine. The drone has a wingspan of 12 metres, a shooting range of 15km and a communication range of 300km.
3 Siege tactics
Russia has shifted its strategy from directly attacking Ukrainian defences to siege warfare in recent days. Russian forces warned Kyiv residents to flee their homes last week before bombarding the city and rained rockets down on Kharkiv, flattening homes and other civilian infrastructure.
Kharkiv region head Oleg Synegubov has said Russian missile attacks had hit the centre of Ukraine’s second-largest city, including residential areas and the regional administration building.
The Mariupol city council said Russian forces were constantly and deliberately shelling vital civilian infrastructure in the southeastern Ukrainian port, leaving it without water, heating or power and preventing it from bringing in supplies or evacuating people.
The World Anti-Doping Agency is considering rewriting its rules to try barring President Donald Trump and all U.S. government officials from attending the LA Olympics in 2028, in a move that could also have implications for the World Cup being hosted by the U.S. this summer.
The proposal, on the agenda for next Tuesday’s meeting of the global drug-fighting watchdog’s executive committee, is the latest manoeuvre to come out of a yearslong refusal of the U.S. government to pay its annual dues to WADA.
The refusal is part of the American government’s unanimous, bipartisan protest of the agency’s handling of a case involving Chinese swimmers and other issues.
The Associated Press learned of the agenda item through correspondence it obtained between WADA and European officials involved in the agency’s decision-making. Two others with knowledge of the agenda confirmed the existence of the rules proposal to AP; they were not authorised to speak publicly about the agenda, which has not been released publicly.
The proposal was, in fact, first brought up in 2024, when U.S. authorities successfully lobbied for its rejection. The U.S. has since lost its seat on the executive committee.
“In spite of WADA’s increasing threats, we continue to stand firm in our demand for accountability and transparency from WADA to ensure fair competition in sport,” said Sara Carter, the director of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).
The rule, if passed, would figure to be mostly symbolic, given the limits an international sports federation could have on the president of a country attending an event inside his own borders.
“I have never heard of a $50-million-budget Swiss foundation being able to enforce a rule to, for example, prevent the United States president from going anywhere,” said Carter’s predecessor at ONDCP, Rahul Gupta, who was on the WADA executive committee two years ago and led the movement to reject the proposal. “And the next question you have to ask is: How are you going to enforce it? Are they going to post a red notice from Interpol? It’s ludicrous. It’s clear they have not thought this through.”
In a news release after this story published, WADA said the AP story was “entirely misleading,” focusing on Fitzgerald’s statement to the AP that if proposals being discussed were “introduced, given that the rules would not apply retroactively, the FIFA World Cup, LA and Salt Lake City Games (in 2034) would not be covered.”
Fitzgerald’s only answer to three emails from AP seeking clarification on his initial response — specifically about how a rule that had not yet been adopted could or couldn’t be applied retroactively on events that are scheduled for the future — was: “I’m trying to say that it would not apply retroactively so those events would not be covered. Given that and the next meeting of the Board being scheduled for November, I don’t see how it could come into play for this year’s World Cup.”
-AP
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The Confederation of African Football has dismissed Yasin Osman Robleh, the Djiboutian official who headed its judicial bodies for the past six years, in a move aimed at restoring confidence in the organisation’s disciplinary processes.
According to reports from convergence sources, the decision was confirmed on Saturday by CAF Secretary General Veron Mosengo-Omba, bringing an abrupt end to Robleh’s tenure overseeing the confederation’s disciplinary and investigative committees since 2019.
Robleh’s position reportedly came under increasing pressure following the controversy surrounding sanctions imposed after the Africa Cup of Nations Final between Morocco and Senegal. The disciplinary decisions that followed the match sparked criticism from several quarters and placed CAF’s legal framework under intense scrutiny.
In response to the situation, CAF’s Executive Committee has appointed Togolese lawyer Cedric Egai, currently the confederation’s Director of Legal Affairs, as interim head of the judicial bodies.
Egai is expected to stabilise the organisation’s legal arm while CAF works toward appointing a permanent successor to Robleh.
Disciplinary Decisions Delayed
The leadership change has already affected ongoing disciplinary processes within the confederation. CAF’s disciplinary committee reportedly held hearings last Thursday on several cases, including the high-profile encounter involving Egypt’s Al Ahly and Morocco’s AS FAR.
However, decisions on those matters have been temporarily put on hold pending the confirmation of new leadership within the judicial structure.
Sources indicate that once a permanent successor is appointed, CAF will move swiftly to conclude outstanding disciplinary rulings affecting both clubs and national teams.
Restoring Confidence
The move is widely seen as part of CAF’s effort to restore confidence in its judicial system following weeks of controversy surrounding disciplinary decisions at major competitions.
Robleh’s departure closes a significant chapter in CAF’s legal administration, while Egai’s interim appointment signals a potential shift in leadership and governance at a critical time for African football.
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Governing Bodies
Countdown Rule Introduced To Crack Down on Time-Wasting in Substitutions and Spot Kicks
Global football’s law-making body, The International Football Association Board (IFAB), has approved a landmark package of reforms aimed at protecting effective playing time, reducing time-wasting and strengthening disciplinary oversight ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The decisions were taken at IFAB’s 140th Annual General Meeting (AGM), chaired by Mike Jones, President of the Football Association of Wales, during celebrations marking the FAW’s 150th anniversary.
The reforms, which will apply from the 2026/27 season and be implemented at the 2026 World Cup and other competitions, respond to growing calls across the football community for measures that preserve match tempo and reduce deliberate disruption.
Five-Second Countdown for Throw-Ins and Goal Kicks
Building on last season’s amendment preventing goalkeepers from holding the ball for excessive periods, IFAB has extended the countdown principle to throw-ins and goal kicks.
If a referee judges that a restart is being deliberately delayed, a visible five-second countdown will begin. Failure to put the ball back into play within that period will result in possession being awarded to the opposing team. In the case of a delayed goal kick, the sanction escalates to a corner kick for the opposition.
The measure is designed to eliminate a common time-management tactic frequently deployed late in matches.
Strict Timelines for Substitutions
To further streamline match flow, substituted players must leave the field within 10 seconds of the substitution board being displayed or the referee’s signal being given.
Players who exceed that limit must still exit immediately, but their replacement will not be allowed to enter until the next stoppage after one minute of running clock time has elapsed — effectively discouraging slow exits intended to run down the clock.
Mandatory One-Minute Absence After On-Field Treatment
Under another significant change, players who receive on-field medical assessment — or whose injury prompts a stoppage — must leave the pitch and remain off for at least one minute once play resumes.
The rule aims to curb tactical injury interruptions while still safeguarding genuine medical needs.
IFAB also approved further trials to assess goalkeeper-related tactical injury delays and explore deterrent options.
VAR Protocol Expanded to Include Second Yellow Cards
In a notable development for officiating, IFAB expanded the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) protocol.
The VAR will now be permitted to review:
- Red cards resulting from a clearly incorrect second yellow card;
- Mistaken identity cases where the wrong player is cautioned or sent off;
- Clearly incorrectly awarded corner kicks, provided the review can be completed immediately without delaying the restart.
The move addresses longstanding criticism that second cautions — unlike straight red cards — were previously outside VAR review scope, despite their decisive impact on matches.
IFAB also confirmed continued trials of semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) and ongoing development of FIFA-led Football Video Support (FVS).
Amendments to the Laws of the Game 2026/27
The next edition of the Laws of the Game, effective 1 July 2026 (with early adoption permitted), will introduce further clarifications and adjustments:
- Law 3: Senior ‘A’ international friendlies may now allow up to eight substitutes, expandable to eleven by mutual agreement.
- Law 4: Non-dangerous equipment will be permitted if safely covered.
- Law 5: Referee body cameras (head- or chest-mounted) may be used at competition discretion, with organisers controlling footage.
- Law 8: Clarifies that a dropped ball will be awarded to the team that would likely have retained possession.
- Laws 10 & 14: Formal incorporation of guidance on accidental “double touch” penalty incidents.
- Law 12: Where advantage is played for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity and a goal is scored, the offender will not be cautioned.
Focus on Discriminatory Behaviour and Player Protests
Looking ahead to the 2026 World Cup, IFAB agreed that further consultation will be undertaken to develop tougher measures against discriminatory conduct.
The board will also examine scenarios where:
- Players leave the field collectively in protest of refereeing decisions;
- Players cover their mouths while confronting opponents — a practice viewed as undermining transparency.
A Forward-Looking Agenda
The AGM, attended by representatives from FIFA, The FA, the Scottish FA, the FA of Wales, the Irish FA and IFAB administration, signals what officials described as a decisive effort to modernise the sport.
With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, IFAB’s reforms represent one of the most comprehensive tempo-focused overhauls in recent years — an attempt to ensure that football remains faster, fairer and more resistant to manipulation of time.
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