The Fifa bolt: while the whole world goes on the attack and asks for the exclusion of Russia, the international football federation, also struggling with legal problems, decides to abide by the IOC guidelines, deciding in any case to let the national football team play. Moscow, but like RFU (Football Union of Russia), home games on a neutral field and without anthem and flag.
This is not exactly what several countries were asking, because after Poland and Sweden, the Czech Republic Football Association has officially said that it will not play with Russia.
"The Czech national team will under no circumstances play a possible match against Russia in the World Cup play-offs, not even on neutral ground."
Poland, which was supposed to face the Russians in Moscow on March 24 in the semifinal of this play-off, and Sweden,
that he could have faced the Russians after the other semi-final against the Czech Republic, had already announced a similar decision on Saturday.
The French football federation had also raised their voices, siding for the exclusion of Russia from the next World Cup. "
Fifa's plan to allow Russia to play international matches at home on a neutral pitch and under neutral banners is "completely unacceptable" for Poland and has reiterated that it will not face Russia in the World Cup play-offs.
This "decision is completely unacceptable. We are not interested in participating in this match. The Polish national team WILL NOT PLAY against Russia, regardless of the team name", Cezary Kulesza, No. 1 of the Polish Football Association, reacted immediately on Twitter.
Poland are expected to face Russia in Moscow on March 24 in the World Cup play-offs.
Meanwhile, the world of football welcomes with relief that Shakhtar Donetsk coach Roberto De Zerbi and the Italian members of the Ukrainian team's staff have left Kiev and are on their way to a safe place, where they are expected in the next few hours.
However, the protest from the whole world of sport continues: strong and even symbolic stances such as that of the international judo federation which "suspended" Russian President Vladimir Putin from his office as honorary president of the organization.
Putin is a great fan of this sport, he is a black belt and has also written a book on the subject, often shown on video on the mat.
And as a great practitioner of this discipline he had the blue Olympian in Moscow 80, Ezio Gamba, as tutor, to whom he granted Russian citizenship.
The Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina, with a post on twitter, announced that she will make the winnings of the next tournaments available "to support the army and help it defend our nation", while the Ukrainian men's foil team, engaged in World Cup trial in Cairo, she refused to face the Russian team, retreating after displaying a sign in English "Stop Russia! Stop the war! Save Ukraine! Save Europe".
Federnuoto also reiterates "its commitment to provide all possible support to members of the aquatic family who are affected by this situation and expresses support for the Ukrainian people".
For its part, it said it was "ready to host Ukrainian swimmers at the federal center of Ostia who, due to the war, are unable to continue preparatory activities in view of international commitments".
President Paolo Barelli met Yaroslav Melnyk, Ambassador of Ukraine in Rome this morning, and, as part of a broad analysis on the developments of the dramatic situation in Ukraine and the international context, reiterated the assistance already guaranteed to the president of the Ukrainian swimming federation Andriy Vlaskov.