The Russian Football Union (RFU) has announced it will appeal suspensions imposed by governing bodies FIFA and UEFA, which have indefinitely removed the Russian national team from international competition as well as banning Russian clubs from taking part in European competitions.
The FIFA and UEFA measures were implemented after several individual nations including Poland – which was due to play a pivotal World Cup qualification match against Russia later this month in Moscow – announced that they would refuse to play against a Russian team under any circumstances, even if they were competing under a neutral flag.
This came in step with sweeping punishments levied against Russian and Belarusian athletes after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had recommended a ban on all sportspeople from the two countries because of the war in Ukraine.
However, on Thursday the RFU revealed that it is taking the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland, demanding the reinstatement of Russian teams into international and club competition, and arguing that it violates the rights of players.
The organization is also requesting that financial damages be paid and argues that the decision was made following pressure from Russia’s sporting rivals.
“As part of a single lawsuit against two organizations, the RFU will demand the restoration of all men’s and women’s national teams of Russia in all types of football in the tournaments in which they took part (including in the qualifying round of the World Cup in Qatar), as well as compensation for damage, if any will be installed,” the RFU said in a statement.
“In order to ensure the possibility of the participation of Russian teams in the next scheduled matches, the RFU will insist on an expedited procedure for considering the case.
“If FIFA and UEFA refuse such a procedure, a requirement will be put forward for the introduction of interim measures in the form of suspension of FIFA and UEFA decisions, as well as competitions in which Russian teams were supposed to participate.
“The RFU believes that FIFA and UEFA did not have a legal basis when deciding on the removal of Russian teams. It violated the fundamental rights of the RFU as a member of FIFA and UEFA, including the right to take part in competitions,” the statement added.