Ukraine war: Russia and Belarus banned from Paralympics in Beijing

Created: 03/03/2022 08:27

By: Sascha Mehr

The Beijing Olympic Tower is reflected in the windows of the Main Media Center with the logo of the Winter Paralympics 2022. © Andy Wong/AP/dpa

The Ukraine war is also having an impact on sport.

The Beijing Paralympic Games will take place without athletes from Russia and Belarus.

• Markus Gisdol throws down as a trainer in Moscow because of the Ukraine conflict *.

• RB Leipzig apparently continued without a fight in the Europa League – games against Moscow before cancellation

• FC Schalke 04 ends partnership with Gazprom.

  FIFA imposes sanctions on Russia*.

>>> Update news ticker <<<

Update from Thursday, March 3rd, 2022, 8:20 a.m .:

Because of the Ukraine war, Russia and Belarus are now not allowed to take part in the Winter Paralympics in Beijing, which begin on Friday.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) announced this on Thursday, revising its decision from the previous day.

War in Ukraine: German coach resigns from Moscow club

+++ 1:48 p.m .:

Markus Gisdol is no longer the coach of Lokomotiv Moscow.

"For me, football coaching is the best job in the world.

But I cannot pursue my calling in a country whose leader is responsible for a war of aggression in the middle of Europe.

That doesn't match my values.

I can't stand on the training ground in Moscow, train the players, demand professionalism and a few kilometers away orders are given that bring great suffering to an entire people.

It's my personal decision and I'm absolutely convinced of it," said the 52-year-old to the Bild newspaper.

+++ 8.30 a.m .:

Russia reacted with great indignation to the exclusion of Russian teams from all competitions and the World Cup in Qatar by FIFA and UEFA.

"The decision is clearly discriminatory and harms a large number of athletes, coaches, employees of clubs and national teams, and most of all millions of Russian and foreign fans, whose interests international sports organizations must protect in the first place," said the Football Union of Russia in an explanation.

Ukraine war: FIFA and UEFA suspend Russia

+++ 18:52:

The world football association FIFA and the European football union UEFA suspended Russia from all competitions on Monday because of the attack on Ukraine.

This means that Bundesliga club RB Leipzig is in the quarter-finals of the Europa League without a fight, the round of 16 games between Leipzig and Spartak Moscow scheduled for March will not take place.

FIFA and UEFA suspend Russia © Jakub Porzycki/Imago Images

+++ 4.35 p.m .:

FIFA wants to exclude Russia from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar due to the invasion of Ukraine.

This is reported by the German Press Agency.

Thus, the Russian team should not take part in the World Cup playoffs in March and in the finals in winter.

The World Cup.

© Leszek Szymanski/dpa

Ukraine war: Russia facing exclusion from the Ice Hockey World Championship?

+++ 4.15 p.m .:

Host Finland wants to exclude Russia and Belarus from the Ice Hockey World Championship because of the Ukraine conflict.

The President of the International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF, Luc Tardif, was told that "it will not be possible for Russia and Belarus to take part in the Men's World Championships in Tampere and Helsinki in May," said the head of the Finnish Ice Hockey Federation. Association Harri Nummela according to a statement.

Finland wants Russia to be excluded from the Ice Hockey World Championship.

© YUTAKA/Imago Images

Ukraine conflict: RB Leipzig with a bye in the Europa League?

+++ 12.45 p.m .:

RB Leipzig apparently moves into the quarter-finals of the Europa League without a fight.

As the Bild newspaper reports, the Saxon games against Spartak Moscow are about to be cancelled.

"We continue to be in close contact with the associations and have complete confidence in UEFA and their decision.

We assume that the games will be canceled," said club boss Oliver Mintzlaff, according to the report.

+++ Update from Monday, February 28th, 2022, 11:32 a.m .:

The board of directors of FC Schalke 04, with the approval of the supervisory board, decided to prematurely end the partnership between S04 and the Russian natural gas production company Gazprom, as the club announced.

More information will follow shortly, according to the club.

First report from Monday, February 28th, 2022, 11:25 a.m.:

Warsaw – The Polish association president Association president Cezary Kulesza announced on Saturday (February 26th, 2022) via Twitter that the Polish national team would not play against Russia in the play-offs.

The game is scheduled for March 24, 2022, the venue is Moscow.

The winner of this game will then meet the winner of the duel between Sweden and the Czech Republic in the final - according to the draw.

Ukraine war: Lewandowski does not want to play against Russia

Poland star Robert Lewandowski*, captain in the Bundesliga game for FC Bayern Munich against Eintracht Frankfurt, wore a Ukrainian captain's armband.

"I decided to wear the Ukrainian armband because what is currently happening in Ukraine* is unacceptable for the whole world," he said in an interview with pay TV broadcaster Sky.

“We must support all of Ukraine.

I didn't think something like this could happen.

That hurts.

I don't think you can take sport out of politics.

I can't imagine being on the pitch against Russia in a month and forgetting what's going on.

That is unacceptable," Lewandowski continued.

Russia not only has home advantage against Poland in the semifinals, but also in a possible final to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The two possible opponents, the Czech Republic and Sweden, have already announced that they will boycott a possible game in Russia.

The Czech association announced on Sunday (February 27, 2021) via Twitter that the Czech national team would not play against Russia at a neutral venue either.

Ukraine war: FIFA imposes sanctions on Russia

The world football association FIFA has now imposed the first sanctions: No more international games are played in Russia, neither at club level nor at association level, all home games of Russian teams take place on neutral ground.

In addition, the anthem will no longer be played at games played by the Russian national team and the Russian flag will not be visible.

In addition, the Russian country selection will in future start under the name of their association RFU and no longer as Russia, as FIFA announced on Sunday (February 27th, 2022).

However, there was no exclusion from the play-offs for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

A reaction from Poland's association president Cezary Kulesza was not long in coming.

For him, the sanctions imposed by FIFA are unacceptable.

“We are not interested in a game of appearances.

Our point of view remains unchanged: the Polish national team will NOT play a game against Russia.

It doesn't matter what the Russian team's name is," Kulesza said on Twitter.

(smr) *