UEFA review of Russia-Ukraine situation (football impact)

OutcastLondoner

My point was about your poll apparently justifying sanctions against ordinary Russians. I've even posted another protest above. So I'm not sure what your point is here.

claretandbluesky

The only people who will ever get rid of Putin are the Russian population or his own Generals. Both a long way from doing so at present. He has looked unhinged and angry at present which I don't think I have seen before.

Very sadly this scene is almost a carbon copy of Iraq. Fictitious claims of weapons of mass destruction used as pretext to launch a cruise missile and air power attack followed by troop invasion to effect regime change. Army and Police force pretty much disbanded and left a lawless situation on the ground. The US and UK then left and created a power vacuum, we even had our stop the war protesters gathering in London as Moscow has now but it didn't do any good.

Putin is a horrible bully but It's hard for most in the west to take the moral high ground.

My heart is with the ordinary Ukrainians who now live in fear hour to hour, unsure what awaits them.

BubblesNeverDies

You said "it’s not exactly easy to be openly in opposition to him" hence my link showing
that there are people "openly in opposition to him" and risking arrest to protest.
But going back to your point about sanctions hurting the ordinary Russian, so far it seems that the proposed sanctions are targeted at individuals.

IronHerb

So you're waiting for another revolution then?

BubblesNeverDies

Claretandbluesky
Iraq was ruled by a Mafia-esque murderous genocidal family, Ukraine has a democratically elected government, hardly the same.

claretandbluesky

Bubbles, I meant the playbook for effecting regime change on a sovereign state that you don't like. I was no way likening Ukraine to Iraq, but the US and UK alliance regard Iraq to Russia's cynical invasion of Ukraine.

I think the Ukrainian leader is at present showing great courage and leadership.

BubblesNeverDies

Claretandbluesky
Perhaps a more accurate comparison would be Hitler's occupation of Czechoslovakia beginning with the annexation of the Sudetenland in 1938 and the creation of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.

"I think the Ukrainian leader is at present showing great courage and leadership."
Incredibly so, just imagine Johnson in his position.

IronHerb

I'd rather not thanks.

nychammer66

He’d probably do the comedy routine he did at the un, it’s not easy being green, and they would die laughing.

MrsGrey

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/60520646

West Ham's Ukraine winger Andriy Yarmolenko has been given time off by the club following his country's invasion by Russia.
.

"He's not in a very good position at the moment - we've given him a few days off," said Hammers boss David Moyes.

ASLEFshrugged

Poland will refuse to play Russia in World Cup 2022 playoff in March

Polish FA president Cezary Kulesza said there are discussions with the Swedish and Czech FAs

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/feb/26/poland-will-refuse-to-play-russia-in-world-cup-2022-playoff-robert-lewandowski

buffybegood

Imo FIFA should step up and eliminate Russia full stop. Slightly more contentious would be for EUFA to eliminate Spartak Moscow from the Europa League, but that would be my preferred option if it were my call.

whupathman

all three refuse to play Russia is my understanding

epsom_bubbles

Unless the authorities actually ban Russia, the result of the other teams refusing to play them could result in Russia progressing by default

buffybegood

epsom_bubbles said:

Unless the authorities actually ban Russia, the result of the other teams refusing to play them could result in Russia progressing by default

Exactly, that's why I said FIFA should step up and boot Russia out.

IronHerb

epsom_bubbles said:

Unless the authorities actually ban Russia, the result of the other teams refusing to play them could result in Russia progressing by default

Good. Then everyone can refuse to play them in Qatar and the World Cup can be cancelled with Russia as champions. Infantino would then get another medal from Putin.

Slacker

IronHerb said:

epsom_bubbles said:

Unless the authorities actually ban Russia, the result of the other teams refusing to play them could result in Russia progressing by default

Good. Then everyone can refuse to play them in Qatar and the World Cup can be cancelled with Russia as champions. Infantino would then get another medal from Putin.

That’ll be a Russia - Belarus final then.
Belarus will play with six men though, just to make sure.

ASLEFshrugged

Slacker said:

That’ll be a Russia - Belarus final then.
Belarus will play with six men though, just to make sure.

Actually it will be a Russia v nobody final as Belarus didn't qualify, came bottom of their group

yoyo

Abramovitch hands over stewardship and care of Chelsea to their charitable foundation... whatever that means

Lukerz

Basically distances himself from club whilst this resolves & avoids sanctions for Chelsea I’d imagine

Slacker

ASLEFshrugged said:

Slacker said:

That’ll be a Russia - Belarus final then.
Belarus will play with six men though, just to make sure.

Actually it will be a Russia v nobody final as Belarus didn't qualify, came bottom of their group

Ooh, here’s a hair let’s split it.

Sometimes , just sometimes stats just ruin gags.

alderz

Slacker said:

ASLEFshrugged said:

Slacker said:

That’ll be a Russia - Belarus final then.
Belarus will play with six men though, just to make sure.

Actually it will be a Russia v nobody final as Belarus didn't qualify, came bottom of their group

Ooh, here’s a hair let’s split it.

Sometimes , just sometimes stats just ruin gags.

Good comedy is statistically accurate, probably

PrestonHammer

Apparently it's 60% accurate, 100% of the time.

buffybegood

FIFA bottling a proper decision so far:

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/60548685

MrsGrey

buffybegood said:

FIFA bottling a proper decision so far:

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/60548685

That's like what happened for the Olympics.
Completely pointless, imo.

whupathman

the FIFA chair is buddies with Putin, would hate to miss out from the benefits that brings

PrestonHammer

He shouldn't be that pally with anyone.

Kuchinghammer

Yes, it's a pathetic response. I would like to see every World Cup team refuse to play Russia while it occupies Ukraine. That would put FIFA on the spot and hopefully force them to ban Russia from the competition.

Yeoldhammer

Hard though you would have to then consider banning other countries involved in similar circumstances ? do you ban Israel for its conflict with Palestine ? do you ban Saudi Arabia for its conflict in Yemen.

OutcastLondoner

I'm not sure they'll do it because it would open the door for the future, in other conflicts. There's actually nothing fundamentally worse about this war than Saudi Arabia's in Yemen or Israeli operations in Palestinian territories - which are internationally recognised as occupied. From a human rights perspective, those were worse. I would be very surprised if Russia commits more human rights abuses in Ukraine than it has been involved in in Syria.

The only fundamental difference is it's a more brazen challenge to the international order.

I think I'd personally be happy to see it, though I'd like it to be against Russia's aggression globally, not just in Europe. But I think FIFA would be worried about lots more countries refusing to play each other.