European football’s governing body UEFA said Tuesday it had abandoned plans to re-admit Russian under-17 teams into the youth European Championship next year.
In September, UEFA reinstated Russian youth teams to its competitions, having suspended the country’s senior sides due to the invasion of Ukraine.
UEFA argued that youth players should not have to pay the price for the actions of adults.
That decision sparked anger in Kyiv, which said in response it would boycott all UEFA competitions featuring Russian teams.
But UEFA now says it was too difficult logistically to reintegrate Russian under-17 teams and the issue was removed from the agenda of a meeting of the body’s Executive Committee.
“The agenda point was withdrawn as no technical solution to allow Russian teams to play could be found,” UEFA said.
Kyiv thanked UEFA for scrapping the plans and promised to “fight for the continuation of the isolation” of Russia.
UEFA will not allow U-17 teams from russia to competitions. We thank our European partners for supporting Ukraine!During today’s meeting, the UEFA Executive Committee removed from consideration the issue of the admission of the U-17 national teams of russia to its competitions. pic.twitter.com/FxuxtP0SAx
— Ukrainian Association of Football (@uafukraine) October 10, 2023
“We thank our European partners for supporting Ukraine,” Ukraine’s football association said in a statement.
The initial decision sparked anger in Kyiv, which said in response it would boycott all UEFA competitions featuring Russian teams.
“We are grateful to all our European partners who supported our protest against the admission of Russian teams,” the Ukrainian football association’s vice president Vadym Kostyuchenko said in the statement.
“There should be no compromises in this matter,” he said, adding that “this may not be Russia’s last attempt to regain its position in the international football arena”.
FIFA, world football’s governing body, followed in UEFA’s footsteps earlier this month by announcing it too would reinstate Russia’s under-17 teams.
FIFA did not immediately comment when asked for its response following UEFA’s decision to scrap its plans.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - AFP)