Fifa criticised for allowing Russian delegates at congress

FIFA has been criticised for allowing Russian delegates to attend its annual congress in Qatar following the country’s ban from the World Cup due to the invasion of Ukraine.

Two senior Russian officials are scheduled to be at Thursday’s event but there will be no representative from the Ukrainian FA.

Ukraine will instead be represented by its ambassador to Qatar, while the Russian flag will be flown at Doha Exhibition and Convention Center.

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Chris Bryant MP, chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on Russia, told the Times: “I’m constantly mystified at sporting bodies who do not seem to watch the news, or take enough action if they do.

“They don’t seem to be able to isolate Russia in light of Putin’s appalling war crimes. We must isolate any Russian who wants to take part in world affairs until Russia withdraws.”

Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston insists any individual athletes from Russia or Belarus wanting to take part in UK events must show they are ‘genuinely independent and neutral’ – with the assurance backed up by a written declaration.

Earlier this month, 37 countries joined together to make a collective call for further international sporting sanctions on Russia and Belarus following the invasion of Ukraine.

Brokered by the UK, the strongly-worded statement followed a virtual summit convened by Huddleston and Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries on March 3, with France, Germany, Japan, Australia, Canada and the United States among the signatories.

At the Winter Olympics in Beijing, Russian athletes did not compete under their nation’s banner and instead represented the ROC (Russian Olympic Committee).

The International Paralympic Committee, though, later opted to ban both Russia and Belarus athletes from the Winter Paralympics in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine.

Governing bodies continue to make their own decisions, such as the British Boxing Board of Control banning fighters registered by either of the Russian or Belarusian federations from boxing in the UK.

Huddleston maintains if any individual from those countries did want to request entry to a competition hosted in the UK, then it should only be considered under a specific set of criteria.

“I have had a good meeting with various governing bodies about what we are doing in terms of sanctions and bans for individual athletes,” Huddleston said.

“We did make the request to governing bodies relating to individual sportspeople that if they (Russians or Belarussians) wish to participate in a UK sport, they are independent and neutral – and genuinely so.

“We wish to get the assurance of that in a written declaration that they are not receiving money from (Russia President Vladimir) Putin, Russia or Belarus. That they will not be making supportive comments of Putin, Russia or Belarus.

“We are requesting governing bodies or individual events seek that assurance in advance if they are going to allow neutrals to play.

“If people are saying they are neutral athletes, we want the assurance that they are genuinely neutral and therefore there isn’t any connection with Putin.

“If some individual sports or entities choose to do an outright ban of Russian or Belarussian athletes, then we will support that as well.

“But if they chose to go down the neutral route, then we are requesting they get that assurance.”

Despite their current ban from international football, Russia have declared an interest in rivalling the UK and Ireland for the right to host Euro 2028.

The Football Union of Russia has not been suspended by UEFA as things stand, which meant it was able to submit the interest in bidding.

However, it is understood senior figures at Europe’s governing body hope Russia’s bid can be quickly dismissed within the organisation’s own regulations.

Huddleston said: “Government policy is that Russia is a pariah on the world stage when it comes to sport. They should be treated as such and that remains the case.”