The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Fifa and the Russian question: a moral failure

2022-02-28T17:42:56.938Z


While national associations refuse to compete against Russia, Fifa only imposed soft sanctions – and only gave in late. She should have gone ahead, instead she once again gives a fatal picture.


Enlarge image

In all friendship: Fifa President Gianni Infantino and Vladimir Putin during the 2018 World Cup in Russia

Photo:

MLADEN ANTONOV/ AFP

What Fifa understands by severe sanctions, she made it clear to the whole world on Sunday evening: Russia should no longer compete as Russia, but under the abbreviation RFU, it said in a statement.

Although RFU can also be an abbreviation for this decision of the world football association: spineless, cowardly, undecided.

No anthem, no flag, a different name - exactly the same measures that the IOC took against the Russian team at the Olympic Games.

It was soft as shit, toothless and ridiculous, but in that case it was "only" about doping, now it's about a war.

The world football association has changed its mind a day late: it is now excluding Russia from its competitions because of the invasion of Ukraine.

There can be no doubt that this is the right decision.

But she's way too late.

Public pressure had become so great that there was no other choice.

Even the IOC had preceded it - and that's really saying something

Fifa, as one of the two most important sports federations in the world, should have been a leader.

Instead, smaller national associations such as Poland and Sweden and, as so often recently, the athletes have taken matters into their own hands.

Fifa only gave in under this pressure.

She's going to celebrate now.

But actually it is a sign of poverty.

In times of a crisis that will probably change the world order, Fifa would have had the chance to finally do something right.

But the nappy-soft sanctions on Sunday and the late concession on Monday showed that you shouldn't expect that from her anymore.

The decision to treat Russia with kid gloves was made by the FIFA advisory committee.

There are seven people headed by President Gianni Infantino, Uefa boss Aleksander Čeferin and the chairmen of the other five continental associations.

These are the most powerful football officials in the world.

Smiling, hugging, joking

Infantino and Čeferin used to look for the sticky closeness of Russia, but it seems that now they can't get rid of it so easily.

There are countless pictures showing the Fifa boss in close proximity with Vladimir Putin, smiling, hugging, joking.

Antichambring with the dictator, in all friendship.

The fact that the Swiss bearer of the Russian Friendship Order is only appropriate.

Awarded by Vladimir Putin in 2019.

The anthems that Infantino sang to the Russian hosts during the 2017 Confederations Cup and the 2018 World Cup are still in the ears of everyone who was there.

How he sat in front of the press next to Vitaly Mutko, the then already highly controversial sports minister, and defended Russia against all accusations as if it were about his own salvation.

"The big smile is the true face of Russia," Infantino had said at the time and cheered: "If such a problematic tournament looks like, then I want to have many problematic tournaments." None of this will be forgotten.

proximity to regimes

And Čeferin also became Uefa boss in 2016 because Russia supported his candidacy.

Čeferin was "young and energetic," Mutko praised the applicant at the time.

The fact that Russia turned away from the opposing candidate, the Dutchman Michael van Praag, paved the way for Čeferin to the European football throne.

These are the conditions in a football world that has recently often, too often, sought proximity to regimes.

Fifa's reputation has been ruined for many years, but the world governing body always finds an opportunity to give it lasting confirmation.

The greed of the officials, the obsession to squeeze more and more money out of this football, have been used by states like Russia and Qatar.

And with that, Putin and Co. have continued to expand their influence, with all the dependencies that go with it.

Capping it was a painful act for Fifa. One can only hope it really hurts them.

Source: spiegel

All sports articles on 2022-02-28

You may like

Trends 24h

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.