September 28
2023
on
11:33

The Norwegian Football Association opposes UEFA’s decision and does not want Russian teams to find themselves in hot water

The Norwegian Football Association backed its counterparts in Sweden and Denmark and said it would not allow the age-restricted Russian national team to participate in international matches.

– We stand by our stance that the Norwegian team should not play against the Russian team while the war is still going on. This is a stance that all of Norwegian sport is fighting for in solidarity with Ukraine, and should also be seen as part of the sanctions that Europe has implemented, both by the authorities, business and sport, said Lise Klaveness, president of Norway. Football Association.

He said that the NFF did not realize that this issue should be handled by UEFA, and that they should be able to expect a better process from UEFA in such an important matter.

On Tuesday the board of the European Football Association (UEFA) decided to reopen the doors to Russia’s U-17 national team, which has been excluded from competition since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The council’s decision was justified by the fact that children should not be punished for actions solely committed by adults, and that football “should never stop sending a message of peace and hope”.

– It is outrageous that a generation of children have been deprived of the right to play international football as a result of the conflict (war in Ukraine), UEFA said in a statement.

Football president Klaveness had the following to say about the argument:

– Basically, we support the position that children should not be excluded from football or other arenas because of the actions of adults and authorities. This is a consideration that must and must be very strong, whatever the situation. Football should unite, not divide.

– We still think that in this extraordinary situation, it is too difficult to separate national team football from the Russian state and the regime’s need to use top-flight football as part of its propaganda, and it makes no sense to carry out such a rollback now without this is based on more thorough engagement and inquiry into how considerations of neutrality and solidarity will be addressed in the decision, Klaveness said.

Russia could already secure a place in the European Championship qualifiers this fall. The UEFA government has received the green light to do this, even though the draw has already been completed. (NTB)