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Players in the 3rd-round Russian Championship
League Zone South between football clubs SKCHF (Sevastopol) and TSC
(Simferopol). (RIA Novosti/Vasiliy Batanov)
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European football’s ruling body UEFA said that the
three Crimean Republic clubs that have joined Russian competitions this season
will not have their games officially recognized.
“In light of the complex and difficult factual and
political considerations, and until an agreed solution can be found with regard
to the situation in Crimea, the UEFA Emergency Panel has today decided that any
football matches played by Crimean clubs organised under the auspices of the
Russian Football Union (RFS) will not be recognised by UEFA until further
notice,” said an official statement.
The Swiss-headquartered ruling body said that it “has
no wish to prevent clubs from playing football” and urged the Russian and
Ukrainian football unions to hammer out a compromise deal.
FC Sevastopol and Tavria Simferopol, a former league title winner, were both playing in the Ukrainian Premier League, when Crimea seceded from Ukraine and joined Russia in March. As a result, both clubs legally ceased to exist.
FC Sevastopol and Tavria Simferopol, a former league title winner, were both playing in the Ukrainian Premier League, when Crimea seceded from Ukraine and joined Russia in March. As a result, both clubs legally ceased to exist.
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Silhouettes are
seen inside the UEFA Headquarters in Nyon. (AFP Photo/Fabrice Coffrini) Ukraine’s
football union has demanded sanctions be applied against the teams, which are
legally still located in areas that European states recognize as part of
Ukraine.
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Two
new clubs have been created in their place, which are using their facilities.
Together with a new team from Yalta they have started the season in Russia’s
third-tier domestic competition.
There have been speculations that Russian clubs
may be punished in UEFA competitions as a result of the plea, or even that the
country’s chances of hosting the World Cup in 2018 would be affected.
UEFA’s decision is relatively lenient, and was welcomed as “clear-headed” by the FC SKChF Sevastopol director of football Evgeniy Repenkov, who spoke to Russian media site sports.ru.
It appears as if the clubs will be able to continue their participation in domestic Russian competitions without any impediment, though it is unlikely that they would be allowed to play in European competitions if they qualify. However, considering their current position in the Russian football pyramid, this is not a pressing concern
UEFA’s decision is relatively lenient, and was welcomed as “clear-headed” by the FC SKChF Sevastopol director of football Evgeniy Repenkov, who spoke to Russian media site sports.ru.
It appears as if the clubs will be able to continue their participation in domestic Russian competitions without any impediment, though it is unlikely that they would be allowed to play in European competitions if they qualify. However, considering their current position in the Russian football pyramid, this is not a pressing concern
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