Shevchenko Seeks Meeting with Infantino on Russia’s Return

Andriy Shevchenko, President of the Ukrainian Football Association, announced that he is seeking to hold an urgent meeting with Gianni Infantino, President of the International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA), during the UEFA conference in Brussels this week, following Infantino’s controversial statements about the possibility of reinstating Russian teams in international competitions.

Shevchenko believes that such a proposal is unacceptable while the war in Ukraine continues, warning that allowing Russia to return could be used by the Kremlin as a soft power tool to enhance its influence.

Infantino’s statements that sparked this controversy came after he said in an interview that banning Russia from competitions did not achieve positive results, and that the restriction led to more frustration and hatred. He affirmed his desire to reintegrate Russia into international football and the possibility of changing FIFA’s rules to prevent banning any country due to the actions of its political leaders.

Russia has been banned from participating in FIFA and UEFA competitions since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Although FIFA partially lifted the ban at the under-17 level in 2023, this decision was not practically implemented because many European teams announced they would refuse to play against Russian teams.

Shevchenko stated that the Ukrainian federation provided humanitarian aid during the war by opening its offices in Kyiv to shelter and offer services to children and families affected by the shelling. He emphasized that Ukraine’s stance against Russia’s return to international competitions is supported by other federations, and he will explain the details of this position directly to Infantino during the upcoming meeting.