On the evening of September 26, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) made an unexpected decision: it allowed Russian national teams consisting of under-17 players (men and women) to return to international tournaments.
Why did UEFA make this decision?
Youth national teams, which include players under the age of 17, will now be able to take part in international competitions under the auspices of UEFA. Russian teams will also return to tournaments where the draw has already been held.
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Russian football players will be affected by the following restrictions:
- players will play home matches on neutral territory;
- enter the field without the anthem and flag;
- Do not wear uniforms with state symbols during the match.
UEFA emphasized that other teams from Russia are still unable to take part in international competitions. The decision was made so as not to limit the development of children and their sports future.
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“By prohibiting children from participating in our competitions, we not only fail to recognize and support the fundamental right to their global development, but we also directly discriminate against them.
By giving them the opportunity to play and compete against their peers from across Europe, we are investing in a brighter future and a generation that we hope will become more capable and vibrant,” said UEFA President Aleksandar Čeferin.
Will Russian national teams be able to play at the Euro?
UEFA’s decision means that the Russian U17 men’s team will be able to take part in the qualifying round of the 2023/24 European Championship, which will take place from September 27 to November 21. Based on the results, 15 teams will be determined that will play in the final stage of the Euro in May next year in Cyprus.
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The Russian U17 women’s team will also take part in the Euro 2023/24 selection. Eight teams will qualify for the final stage. The matches will take place in Sweden in May 2024.
The position of other national teams may interfere — several federations have already announced their protest: Ukraine, Poland, Latvia, England, Sweden (the list is gradually growing). At the same time, Sweden, where the women’s championship will be held, stated that it would not allow the Russian team to participate in the matches.
Let us remind you that Russian football has been suspended from competitions under the auspices of UEFA and FIFA since the end of February 2022. This affected the Russian national team, as well as clubs that were suspended from participation in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.