Serhii Palkin, the CEO of Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk, also spoke out against Infantino. He said the FIFA president’s remarks felt completely out of touch with reality. Palkin added that football cannot act like the war does not exist and that lifting the ban could make it seem like the world is ignoring war crimes.
Shakhtar has not played home games in Donetsk since 2014 due to conflict in eastern Donbas. The team has used multiple alternative venues across Poland and Germany over the past 12 years
Context: Russia’s Sports Ban
Russia has not been allowed in major events like the 2022 World Cup or UEFA Euro 2024. The country is also excluded from the 2026 World Cup. However, Russian teams have still played matches against non-Western nations without FIFA or UEFA approval.
Last year, Ukraine criticized the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) decision to lift bans on Russia and Belarusian athletes. Although the IPC now allows them to compete, qualifying timelines and decisions by individual sport governing bodies prevent participation in the upcoming Winter Paralympics.
Conclusion
Ukraine and its sports institutions insist that lifting Russia’s ban would ignore the realities of war and show disregard for victims. FIFA faces pressure to balance sport and international responsibility while global tensions remain high.
