The national soccer teams of Poland and Sweden have refused to play against Russia during the upcoming World Cup qualifiers due to that country’s unprovoked attack against Ukraine.
The news was announced first by Poland’s Football Association President Cezary Kulesza, who tweeted on Saturday that his national team had decided to take action.
“Due to the escalation of the aggression of the Russian Federation towards Ukraine the Polish national team does not intend to play the play-off match against Russia,” Kulesza wrote.
No more words, time to act! Due to the escalation of the aggression of the Russian Federation towards Ukraine the Polish national team does not intend to play the play-off match against Russia. We are in talks with 🇸 and 🇿 federations to bring forward a joint statement to FIFA.
— Cezary Kulesza (@Czarek_Kulesza) February 26, 2022
Following on the heels of Poland’s announcement, the Swedish national team decided they too would decline their match against Russia.
“The illegal and deeply unjust invasion of Ukraine currently makes all football exchanges with Russia impossible. We therefore call on FIFA to decide that the playoff matches in March in which Russia participates are cancelled. But no matter what FIFA chooses to do, we will not play Russia in March,” said Karl-Erik Nilsson, president of the Swedish Football Association.
“We find it hard to believe that FIFA will not heed our call. Russia cannot be involved as long as this madness continues.”
Poland’s forward Robert Lewandowski (C) embraces Sweden’s defender Ludwig Augustinsson (L) after the UEFA EURO 2020 Group E football match between Sweden and Poland at Saint Petersburg Stadium in Saint Petersburg on June 23, 2021. (Photo by ANATOLY MALTSEV/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
As CBS Sports reports:
Russia was set to play Poland on March 24 in a semifinal playoff game in Moscow, and the winner of that match would face the victor between Sweden and the Czech Republic, who were scheduled to play on the same date in Sweden. That winner goes onto the World Cup in Qatar later this year.
The response comes days after FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Thursday failed to cancel the playoff games or condemn the actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who Infantino has praised in the past. Putin, who hosted the 2018 World Cup, awarded Infantino with a “friendship” medal in 2019.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was renewed with extra vigor on Sunday morning as Putin’s spearheads penetrated Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city. Though, a strong response by Ukrainian forces appears to have halted the Russian advance.
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