Poland rejects FIFA ruling Russia can play qualifier as RFU

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By ROB HARRIS

LONDON (AP) — FIFA backed away from immediately expelling Russia from World Cup qualifying on Sunday but said it remained an option, deciding instead the squad can play at neutral venues using the “RFU” acronym for the country’s football federation.

The compromise was immediately rejected by Poland, which said it would still refuse to play Russia in a World Cup playoff semifinal, which is scheduled for March 24.

“Today’s FIFA decision is totally unacceptable,” Polish football federation president Cezary Kulesza tweeted. “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 unanimous ruling by the FIFA Bureau, featuring the six regional football confederation presidents, was also that the Russian flag and anthem can’t be associated with the team that would use the acronym for the Russian Football Union.



FIFA President Gianni Infantino gestures to media end of the Club World Cup final soccer match between Palmeiras and Chelsea at Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-sports-soccer-czech-republic-world-cup-28eda547fd8de260cf520af9913276ef

[Tetrachloride]

1. Sports executives are deaf

[Javaman]

2. Fifa is a very fucked up and crooked organization

They are too fucking spineless to do the right thing

Poland is right. Fuck russia they should be kicked from competition

[turbinetree]

3. This is one of many reasons why I do not like soccer....

and the other is that English team is owned by a Russian oligarch...say's a lot about FIFA .....did FIFA ask where they got that money....did they ask....
Roman Abramovich, the Russian billionaire who owns Chelsea FC......

[FakeNoose]

5. We know how he got the money - he stole it from the Russian people

... with lots of help from Pootie.

If the Magnitzky sanctions were being observed properly, none of these guys would show their faces in Europe, the US, Canada or Australia. Their money wouldn't be even allowed in western banks either. There's still hope now with the new Ukraine sanctions, maybe these guys will be out of business soon.

[Karadeniz]

4. Like ROC at the Olympics.

[LiberalLovinLug]

6. another travesty

If any smaller country had dared tried to use its position as host to set up a secret system in advance to exchange bad urine for good through hidden doors, they would have a 5 summer/winter ban minimum. With no skirting around using the ROC moniker etc..

If Russian athletes want to compete, they can for other Baltic, Slovak nations or any nation for that matter. Maybe even Ukraine! For both the World Cup and the Olympics.

That would have been way more effective. I hope the IOC does something like this, but I'm not holding my breath. They are as corrupt as FIFA.

[usajumpedtheshark]

7. Unconcerned about doing what is right, FIFA leadership tries to make sure bribes keep flowing

[rpannier]

10. Well, we all know how this person voted

The RFU’s president is Aleksandr Dyukov, who is chief executive of a subsidiary of state-owned energy giant Gazprom and also sits on the UEFA executive committee.

[JCMach1]

8. National teams need to boycott FIFA until they correct their position

All of them

[Stallion]

9. Better Yet-All FANS Should Boycott This Unacceptable Response

if Russia participates I'll watch something else