The International Football Federation (FIFA) announced that the map shown in the broadcast of the draw for the European qualification for the 2026 World Cup, on which Crimea is not part of Ukraine, was provided by an external contractor. The card has already been deleted, according to a letter from the organization published by the Ukrainian Football Association (UAF).
Recall that during the draw on December 13, a video was shown where it was said about European teams that cannot be in the same group for political reasons.
On the demonstrated map, the Crimean Peninsula, as it should be, is not marked with Ukrainian, because it is the territory of the Russian Federation. Crimea became part of Russia in March 2014 following a referendum.
A few hours after the end of the draw, it became known that the UAF appealed to FIFA about this and Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).
The speaker of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Georgy Tikhy demanded an apology:
The Olympic champion in speed skating, State Duma deputy Svetlana Zhurova reacted to the claims of the Kiev regime to FIFA:
There is nothing to comment on here, as they say. We are not interested in the phantom pains of the quiet Kiev chizhik from the word at all.
There is only one thing to regret: the Russian national team will not take part in the World Cup because of unprecedented sanctions, even in neutral status. While our football is banned tightly and there is no positive information on this.
Although the former head coach of Spartak Moscow, Massimo Carrera, spoke about the suspension of Russian clubs: “I think that in 2025 UEFA and FIFA will return Russia to European competitions, I believe in it.”
In February 2022, UEFA suspended professional football clubs from participating in European competitions held under the auspices of this organization — the Champions League, the Europa League, and the Conference League.
According to the leaders of the organization, this suspension will continue to operate as long as SMO continues on the territory of Ukraine.
15.12.2024
© 2015-2024 EADaily
Reproduction of the content of the site is permitted only with a hyperlink to EADaily
Using the content of the EADaily News Agency site for any commercial purpose without written consent of the agency may be subject to prosecution.
The information resource uses recommendation technologies (information technologies for providing information based on the collection, systematization and analysis of data related to the preferences of Internet users located on the territory of the Russian Federation)
