KEIR RADNEDGE REPORTING: Ukraine officials have launched a blistering verbal assault on FIFA president Gianni Infantino, after he suggested the four-year ban on Russian teams should “definitely” be lifted.

In a weekend interview with Sky News, Infantino argued that the exclusion of Russian clubs and national teams—initially imposed following the 2022 invasion—has “achieved nothing” and served only to foster “frustration and hatred.”

He further proposed that FIFA should enshrine a rule in its statutes to prevent countries from being banned due to the “acts of their political leaders.”

The response from Kyiv was swift and unsparing, with leaders accusing the 55-year-old Swiss official of being dangerously detached from the realities of a war that continues to claim the lives of young athletes.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha led the condemnation, describing those who advocate for Russia’s return while the conflict rages as “moral degenerates.”

Sybiha posted on X (formerly Twitter): “679 Ukrainian girls and boys will never be able to play football—Russia killed them. Future generations will view this as a shame reminiscent of the 1936 Olympics.”

The comparison with the Berlin Games, which served as a propaganda tool for Nazi Germany, underscores the depth of Ukraine’s fury.

For Kyiv, the suggestion that football can remain “neutral” while sports infrastructure is being reduced to rubble is not just a disagreement over policy, but a betrayal of the sport’s values.

Since 2022, the sporting ban has been a vital component of the global effort to isolate Moscow. However, Infantino’s latest comments suggest a growing appetite within FIFA’s leadership to pivot back toward “unity” through competition.

He specifically championed the return of youth teams, stating that “having girls and boys from Russia being able to play… would help.”

Ukraine’s Sports Minister, Matvii Bidnyi, dismissed this logic as “irresponsible—not to say infantile.”

He reminded the global community that over 650 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have been killed since the full-scale invasion began, including more than 100 footballers.

Reality gap

“They detach football from the reality in which children are being killed,” Bidnyi said. “War is a crime, not politics.”

Despite Infantino’s personal stance, the path to Russian reinstatement remains blocked by fierce opposition in Europe. While the Kremlin welcomed the remarks — spokesman Dmitry Peskov called them “high time” — UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has consistently maintained that the war must end before Russia can return to the fold.

A previous attempt by FIFA and UEFA to readmit Russian Under-17 teams in 2023 collapsed after a dozen national federations, led by England, Poland, and Ukraine, threatened an immediate boycott.

With the 2026 World Cup in North America looming, the battle over the soul of international football appears far from over. For Ukraine, the stance remains simple: there can be no “fair play” with a nation that refuses to follow the rules of international law.

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