Russian Football Union Considers Exiting UEFA for Asian Football Confederation
Russian football officials are planning to discuss leaving UEFA to join the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) due to ongoing suspensions from FIFA and UEFA following the conflict in Ukraine. A decision is expected from the RFU’s executive committee on Friday, with potential implications for Russia’s international football engagements.
Russian football officials are reportedly set to convene an executive committee meeting on Friday to discuss plans for exiting UEFA and joining the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). This development arises amid an ongoing suspension from competitive football which has been in place since February 2022 due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Russian Football Union (RFU) aims to transition to the AFC as the ban from FIFA and UEFA remains intact amid the ongoing geopolitical situation. The RFU believes that joining the AFC may facilitate a more favorable environment for future participation in international competitions, depending on the status of the suspension.
This move has historical precedence; Australia transitioned from the Oceania Football Confederation to the AFC in 2006, participating successfully in Asian competitions since then. Should the RFU decide to follow through with this plan to leave UEFA, it would be unprecedented as Russia would become the first country to resign from the European governing body.
Russian political figure Roman Teryushkov articulated that the RFU’s continued presence in UEFA conflicts with national interests amid current geopolitical tensions, asserting a need for sports affiliations aligned with Russia’s standing on the global stage. UEFA is currently monitoring the situation and is seeking clarification from the RFU regarding its future intentions.
Original Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
