Čeferin slams Europe's hypocrisy: UEFA chief defends decision to admit Belarus, questions EU gas purchases from Russia
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin defended UEFA's decision to not disqualify the Belarusian national football team from the World Cup, despite banning the Russian team after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Spanish outlet infoLibre reported on April 8.
"First, no politician will tell us what to do, and we will not listen to any politician," Čeferin said.
“I am against boycotts, I don't like boycotts or bans. But in the case of Russia, there was simply no other way out, and we all have to try to help stop this war, this is insanity."
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser appealed to UEFA at the end of 2022 to remove not only Russia but also Belarus, its key ally, from all international tournaments.
UEFA did not support this idea. Belarus can participate in competitions under the auspices of UEFA, but home matches must be held outside the country and without spectators.
Read also: World Athletics defies IOC, maintains ban on Russians and Belarusians in Paris Olympics
Politicians should not interfere in football affairs, added Čeferin, adding that some countries continue to buy Russian gas, so, logically, their national teams should also be disqualified.
"Geostrategic problems should be solved by politicians," he said.
"Demanding that sports organizations do their job instead is populism and nothing more.”
Read also: Ukrainian Olympian Yaroslava Mahuchikh urges global sports ban on Russia, Belarus in video plea
The Russian national team played a friendly match in Moscow against Serbia earlier, despite the disqualification.
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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
