Berlin, Sept 26, (dpa/GNA) – UEFA is re-admitting Russian under-17 teams to European football competitions, while the senior teams remain banned in connection with the invasion of Ukraine, the continental body said on Tuesday.
UEFA said its executive committee reached the decision, because “children should not be punished for actions whose responsibility lies exclusively with adults.”
The statement said the Russian U17 teams could be reinstated to events, even if draws have already been made. They are to compete without any national symbols and not on Russian territory.
“By banning children from our competitions, we not only fail to recognise and uphold a fundamental right for their holistic development but we directly discriminate against them,” UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said.
“By providing opportunities to play and compete with their peers from all over Europe, we are investing in what we hope will be a brighter and more capable future generation and a better tomorrow.”
UEFA also said that the ban of all senior Russian club and national teams will “will remain in force until the end of the conflict in Ukraine.”
At the meeting in Cyprus, the UEFA executives named Warsaw hosts of the 2024 European Super Cup match between the winners of the Champions League and Europa League.
Albania’s Armand Duka was appointed UEFA vice-president, taking the place of Spain’s Luis Rubiales who resigned some two weeks ago over the kissing affair around the women’s World Cup final.
GNA