UEFA, the Union of European Football Associations, has officially dropped its plan to reintroduce Russian Under-17 teams into European competitions, citing an inability to find a technical solution allowing the teams to return.
The decision to reinstate the Russian U-17 sides had faced strong opposition from Ukraine and various other soccer federations. The Ukrainian Football Association welcomed UEFA’s announcement, expressing its gratitude for the decision. They mentioned that “Russian football remains isolated, that is, where it belongs.”
At the heart of this decision was Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which UEFA responded to by suspending all Russian teams, including national and club sides, from its competitions. However, UEFA later expressed that they believed “children should not be punished for actions whose responsibility lies exclusively with adults,” leading to the decision to readmit Russia’s U-17 sides at a later point in the season.
The Russian Football Union has not yet provided a response to UEFA’s recent decision.
