Infantino slammed for considering Russia return: 'What kind of values do these people have?'

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FT Desk

Gianni Infantino has been criticised for opening up the possibility of the senior Russian national team returning to competitive action amid the war with Ukraine.

In February of 2022, Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with Russian forces entering from home soil, Belarus and Crimea, with attacks occurring across the country. Russia initially attempted to advance on Kyiv as well as other major areas, but Ukrainian forces prevented Russia from capturing the capital.

According to the Centre for Strategic & International Studies, between 540,000 and 620,000 deaths have occurred related to the war since 2022.

Russia were subsequently banned from competing in international football tournaments as well as the Olympic Games, but that stance has softened recently as their Under-15 team was granted permission to play in the Under015 World Cup in October.

Earlier this year, Infantino suggested the Russia ban had "not achieved anything" and had just created "more frustration and hatred" while speaking to Sky News.

Serhii Palkin, the chief executive of Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk, has questioned the FIFA President's stance.

"Infantino, who wants to bring Russian [football] teams back to participate in international competitions," he told the Telegraph.

“It’s not just sport. You cannot have this strict border between life and sport. You are interconnected today, everything connected. Politics, life, everything. If we allow Russia to make one step, it will be another step. There are other steps.

“How can you allow Russia, the country who destroys Ukraine, kills people, destroys infrastructures, destroys our future, a proper life? It’s not possible because we need to fight in all areas and all directions of our life, including sport. They should feel something for what they are doing. It’s not a question about sport. It’s a question about life and our principles, our visions and our values.

"What kind of values do these people, Infantino, the Olympic guys sitting there, have in mind if they allow Russian people to participate anywhere possible?”

In July, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) dropped its recommendation for federations like FIFA to ban Russia from international tournaments.

They were actually given permission to participate in the Under-17s World Cup in 2023, they did not play.

The Under-15 World Cup takes place in Azerbaijan and Russia have been grouped alongside Turkiye, Afghanistan, Djibouti, Sierra Leone and Sudan.