Cezary Kulesza, president of the Polish football association, tweeted Saturday that it was “time to act!”
He wrote that the Polish national team would not be playing the match against Russia because of Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine.
Later, Sweden’s soccer federation joined Poland’s call and declared in a statement that they won’t play against Russia “regardless where it is played”. They also asked FIFA to cancel any playoff matches where Russia is participating, according to CBS Sports.
Although the Czech Republic’s soccer association has not yet commented on Sweden and Poland’s actions, they joined them in anletter on Thursday to help move the games from Russia.
Russia was scheduled to face Poland in a semifinal playoff match in Moscow on March 24, and the winner would then face the victor between Sweden or the Czech Republic. They were due to play in the same place in Sweden on the same day. The winner will be invited to the World Cup in Qatar later in the year.
This response comes just days after FIFA President Gianni Infantino failed to cancel the playoffs or condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s actions, which Infantino had praised in the past. Putin, the 2018 World Cup host, presented Infantino with a friendship medal in 2019.
Robert Lewandowski, a Bayern Munich and Polish star, supported the decision not to play against Russia.
It is the right decision! He said. “I cannot imagine playing a match against the Russian National Team when there is armed aggression in Ukraine.” This is not the fault of Russian football fans and players, but it’s impossible to pretend that nothing is going on.
Russia intensified its assault on Ukraine Saturday night. Putin’s military launched coordinated artillery attacks and missile strikes, targeting key locations in Kyiv as well as other cities.
