A meeting is reportedly scheduled for later this month as officials attempt to find a way back to competition for Russian teams
Russian football officials and their counterparts at European governing body UEFA will hold talks next week to discuss the potential easing of the sanctions on Russian teams, TASS has reported.
Russian teams are currently banned from all UEFA and FIFA competitions because of the conflict in Ukraine. At the end of December, the Russian Football Union (RFU) said it would establish a working group alongside UEFA in a bid to find a possible pathway back to international tournaments.
“A meeting of representatives from the RFU and UEFA is scheduled at the UEFA office on January 24, at which potential opportunities for the return of Russian clubs and teams to international matches will be discussed,” said an RFU source on Friday, as quoted by the TASS news agency. “From the RFU, (general secretary) Maxim Mitrofanov and Aleksandr Alaev (president of the Russian Premier League) will participate in the meeting.”
It was also reported on Friday that RFU president Aleksandr Dyukov is set to take part in the UEFA Executive Committee’s first meeting of 2023, which is scheduled for January 25 at the organization’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. Dyukov is due to attend in person, according to the RFU’s press service.
Russian officials are seeking a reversal of the UEFA and FIFA bans on their teams which were initially imposed at the end of February as a response to the start of Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine.
The sanctions meant the Russian men’s national team was deprived of the chance to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and Russia has already been removed from the qualifying process for the 2024 UEFA European Championships. At club level, Russian teams are banned from competitions such as the prestigious UEFA Champions League for at least the 2022/23 season.
The RFU has appealed the UEFA and FIFA bans with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland, but thus far without success. Russian officials have not ruled out pursuing their case with the Swiss Federal Supreme Court.
After being sidelined from UEFA competitions, it was suggested that Russia could leave the European organization and bid to join its Asian counterpart, the AFC. The reasoning is that Russian teams would potentially find a faster route back to competition in a more welcoming environment, particularly ahead of qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In the end, the RFU opted to establish its working group alongside UEFA in effort to resolve the current restrictions. Russian officials are targeting the start of April for a decision on the matter.
A meeting is reportedly scheduled for later this month as officials attempt to find a way back to competition for Russian teams
Russian football officials and their counterparts at European governing body UEFA will hold talks next week to discuss the potential easing of the sanctions on Russian teams, TASS has reported.
Russian teams are currently banned from all UEFA and FIFA competitions because of the conflict in Ukraine. At the end of December, the Russian Football Union (RFU) said it would establish a working group alongside UEFA in a bid to find a possible pathway back to international tournaments.
“A meeting of representatives from the RFU and UEFA is scheduled at the UEFA office on January 24, at which potential opportunities for the return of Russian clubs and teams to international matches will be discussed,” said an RFU source on Friday, as quoted by the TASS news agency. “From the RFU, (general secretary) Maxim Mitrofanov and Aleksandr Alaev (president of the Russian Premier League) will participate in the meeting.”
It was also reported on Friday that RFU president Aleksandr Dyukov is set to take part in the UEFA Executive Committee’s first meeting of 2023, which is scheduled for January 25 at the organization’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. Dyukov is due to attend in person, according to the RFU’s press service.
Russian officials are seeking a reversal of the UEFA and FIFA bans on their teams which were initially imposed at the end of February as a response to the start of Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine.
The sanctions meant the Russian men’s national team was deprived of the chance to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and Russia has already been removed from the qualifying process for the 2024 UEFA European Championships. At club level, Russian teams are banned from competitions such as the prestigious UEFA Champions League for at least the 2022/23 season.
The RFU has appealed the UEFA and FIFA bans with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland, but thus far without success. Russian officials have not ruled out pursuing their case with the Swiss Federal Supreme Court.
After being sidelined from UEFA competitions, it was suggested that Russia could leave the European organization and bid to join its Asian counterpart, the AFC. The reasoning is that Russian teams would potentially find a faster route back to competition in a more welcoming environment, particularly ahead of qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In the end, the RFU opted to establish its working group alongside UEFA in effort to resolve the current restrictions. Russian officials are targeting the start of April for a decision on the matter.
The Twitter owner commented after Ivan Provorov declined to take part in an NHL ‘Pride’ campaign
Elon Musk has responded to the scandal surrounding Russian hockey player Ivan Provorov, who has been criticized for choosing not to appear in a rainbow-themed jersey for the NHL’s ‘Pride Night’ campaign earlier this week. Musk appeared to back Provorov after he faced calls to be expelled from the US.
“The pendulum has swung a bit too far,” tweeted Musk on Friday, replying to a clip in which NHL analyst EJ Hradek suggested that if Provorov doesn’t support liberal US values, he should return to Russia to take part in the military campaign in Ukraine.
“The gay movement, in about 7 years, went from ‘equal rights’ to ‘go f***ing die in a trench war if you don’t wear a pride shirt!’” read the original post from Twitter user Maxwell Meyer to which Musk replied, and which shared the clip of Hradek criticizing Provorov.
Musk commented on the criticism aimed at Provorov.
The row began on Tuesday night when Provorov opted not to join his Philadelphia Flyers teammates for their warmup on the ice before the game against the Anaheim Ducks, during which the players wore special rainbow jerseys.
Provorov, who is Russian Orthodox, later explained that he “respects everybody’s choices” but decided not to take part because he wanted to “stay true to myself and my religion.”
The player, 26, has been defended by Flyers coach John Tortorella, who argued on Thursday that Provorov has “done nothing wrong.” Speaking to journalists, Tortorella said: “Just because you don’t agree with his decision, it doesn’t mean he did anything wrong.”
“[Provorov] didn’t actively seek out and try to make a stand against it [Pride Night]. He just felt he didn’t want to [take part]… He’s not beating a drum, he didn’t say a word, he just wanted to go about his business,” added the coach.
The Twitter owner commented after Ivan Provorov declined to take part in an NHL ‘Pride’ campaign
Elon Musk has responded to the scandal surrounding Russian hockey player Ivan Provorov, who has been criticized for choosing not to appear in a rainbow-themed jersey for the NHL’s ‘Pride Night’ campaign earlier this week. Musk appeared to back Provorov after he faced calls to be expelled from the US.
“The pendulum has swung a bit too far,” tweeted Musk on Friday, replying to a clip in which NHL analyst EJ Hradek suggested that if Provorov doesn’t support liberal US values, he should return to Russia to take part in the military campaign in Ukraine.
“The gay movement, in about 7 years, went from ‘equal rights’ to ‘go f***ing die in a trench war if you don’t wear a pride shirt!’” read the original post from Twitter user Maxwell Meyer to which Musk replied, and which shared the clip of Hradek criticizing Provorov.
Musk commented on the criticism aimed at Provorov.
The row began on Tuesday night when Provorov opted not to join his Philadelphia Flyers teammates for their warmup on the ice before the game against the Anaheim Ducks, during which the players wore special rainbow jerseys.
Provorov, who is Russian Orthodox, later explained that he “respects everybody’s choices” but decided not to take part because he wanted to “stay true to myself and my religion.”
The player, 26, has been defended by Flyers coach John Tortorella, who argued on Thursday that Provorov has “done nothing wrong.” Speaking to journalists, Tortorella said: “Just because you don’t agree with his decision, it doesn’t mean he did anything wrong.”
“[Provorov] didn’t actively seek out and try to make a stand against it [Pride Night]. He just felt he didn’t want to [take part]… He’s not beating a drum, he didn’t say a word, he just wanted to go about his business,” added the coach.
Juventus have been docked 15 points while numerous former club officials have been banned
Juventus have been handed a 15-point deduction by the Italian football authorities following an investigation into allegations of financial irregularities. The Turin club has already said it will appeal the punishment.
In immediate terms, the points deduction means Juventus have plunged from third to tenth place in the Serie A table. They are now 25 points behind league leaders Napoli – who beat them 5-1 earlier this month – and are 12 points adrift of the European qualification spots.
The Italian football federation (FIGC) announced its decision on Friday, and the sanction is even harsher than the nine-point deduction that prosecutors had been seeking in the case. It was announced that former Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli – who resigned along with other members of the board in November – has been banned from holding a position in Italian football for two years.
Juventus’ former vice-president Pavel Nedved has been hit with an eight-month ban, while ex-sporting director Fabio Paratici – who now works at English Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur – has been banned for 30 months. The London club is trying to ascertain if the sanctions will influence Paratici’s position, with the FIGC reportedly requesting that the punishment be applied across all UEFA and FIFA jurisdiction.
Juventus and former club officials have denied any wrongdoing and have already announced their intention to appeal the decision at the country’s highest sports court within the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI).
Winners of the Italian title a record 36 times, Juventus have faced claims that they fixed their balance sheets by falsely inflating the value of players and misrepresenting losses.
They were initially cleared alongside 10 other clubs in April 2022, but the case was reopened in December after the federal prosecutor appealed against that ruling.
New evidence into Juve’s financing is said to have come to light from a separate investigation by prosecutors in Turin, leading to the case being revived.
After winning the title for nine straight seasons between 2012 and 2020, Juve saw their dominance in Italian football end at the hands of Inter Milan in 2021 and AC Milan in 2022. The Turin club posted a record loss of €240 million ($260 million) for last season, further indicating their downfall.
Elsewhere, Juventus have found themselves at odds with UEFA over plans for the ill-fated European Super League, which collapsed shortly after being announced in April 2021. Along with Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona, Juventus have continued to maintain that the project can come to fruition, despite widespread opposition from UEFA and with nine of the 12 founding teams all pulling out.
Juventus were famously embroiled in the ‘Calciopoli’ refereeing scandal 17 years ago – one of Italy’s biggest ever sporting controversies. On that occasion, they ended up being demoted to Serie B and losing two Serie A titles.
Juventus have been docked 15 points while numerous former club officials have been banned
Juventus have been handed a 15-point deduction by the Italian football authorities following an investigation into allegations of financial irregularities. The Turin club has already said it will appeal the punishment.
In immediate terms, the points deduction means Juventus have plunged from third to tenth place in the Serie A table. They are now 25 points behind league leaders Napoli – who beat them 5-1 earlier this month – and are 12 points adrift of the European qualification spots.
The Italian football federation (FIGC) announced its decision on Friday, and the sanction is even harsher than the nine-point deduction that prosecutors had been seeking in the case. It was announced that former Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli – who resigned along with other members of the board in November – has been banned from holding a position in Italian football for two years.
Juventus’ former vice-president Pavel Nedved has been hit with an eight-month ban, while ex-sporting director Fabio Paratici – who now works at English Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur – has been banned for 30 months. The London club is trying to ascertain if the sanctions will influence Paratici’s position, with the FIGC reportedly requesting that the punishment be applied across all UEFA and FIFA jurisdiction.
Juventus and former club officials have denied any wrongdoing and have already announced their intention to appeal the decision at the country’s highest sports court within the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI).
Winners of the Italian title a record 36 times, Juventus have faced claims that they fixed their balance sheets by falsely inflating the value of players and misrepresenting losses.
They were initially cleared alongside 10 other clubs in April 2022, but the case was reopened in December after the federal prosecutor appealed against that ruling.
New evidence into Juve’s financing is said to have come to light from a separate investigation by prosecutors in Turin, leading to the case being revived.
After winning the title for nine straight seasons between 2012 and 2020, Juve saw their dominance in Italian football end at the hands of Inter Milan in 2021 and AC Milan in 2022. The Turin club posted a record loss of €240 million ($260 million) for last season, further indicating their downfall.
Elsewhere, Juventus have found themselves at odds with UEFA over plans for the ill-fated European Super League, which collapsed shortly after being announced in April 2021. Along with Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona, Juventus have continued to maintain that the project can come to fruition, despite widespread opposition from UEFA and with nine of the 12 founding teams all pulling out.
Juventus were famously embroiled in the ‘Calciopoli’ refereeing scandal 17 years ago – one of Italy’s biggest ever sporting controversies. On that occasion, they ended up being demoted to Serie B and losing two Serie A titles.
Andrey Rublev is into the fourth round after victory over Britain’s Dan Evans
Russia’s Andrey Rublev swept into the second week of the Australian Open with a big-hitting performance to defeat Britain’s Dan Evans in their third-round meeting on Saturday.
Fifth seed Rublev outclassed Evans in straight sets, winning 6-4 6-2 6-3 at Margaret Court Arena. Highlighting Rublev’s dominance, he racked up 60 winners during the contest compared to 20 from the British number 25 seed. The Russian broke his rival’s serve four times, staving off four break points on his own serve.
Rublev, who overtook Daniil Medvedev as Russia’s highest ranked player ahead of the tournament in Melbourne, will next play Danish ninth seed Holger Rune in the fourth round. Rune overcame an injury scare to defeat France’s Ugo Humbert in their third-round match on Saturday.
Rublev, 25, is bidding to reach a seventh quarterfinal at a Grand Slam, and what would be his second in three years in Melbourne. However, he has yet to reach the semifinals of a major and will be aiming to finally break that hoodoo this year.
Crucially, Rublev is finding form after a disappointing start to 2023 which saw him exit two warm-up tournaments in Adelaide in the opening round.
“At the beginning of the season I lost a bit of confidence with those losses, but now I am playing good tennis,” Rublev said after seeing off Evans. “After the first set I was feeling really confident and I knew I could play better, faster and that he was not comfortable with that, so I tried to play even more aggressive.”
Elsewhere in the men’s draw in Melbourne, Russia has representation in the form of Karen Khachanov, who takes on Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka in the fourth round on Sunday. Two-time Australian Open finalist Medvedev saw his hopes ended at the tournament this year when he suffered a shock third-round exit to America’s Sebastian Korda in straight sets on Friday.
Andrey Rublev is into the fourth round after victory over Britain’s Dan Evans
Russia’s Andrey Rublev swept into the second week of the Australian Open with a big-hitting performance to defeat Britain’s Dan Evans in their third-round meeting on Saturday.
Fifth seed Rublev outclassed Evans in straight sets, winning 6-4 6-2 6-3 at Margaret Court Arena. Highlighting Rublev’s dominance, he racked up 60 winners during the contest compared to 20 from the British number 25 seed. The Russian broke his rival’s serve four times, staving off four break points on his own serve.
Rublev, who overtook Daniil Medvedev as Russia’s highest ranked player ahead of the tournament in Melbourne, will next play Danish ninth seed Holger Rune in the fourth round. Rune overcame an injury scare to defeat France’s Ugo Humbert in their third-round match on Saturday.
Rublev, 25, is bidding to reach a seventh quarterfinal at a Grand Slam, and what would be his second in three years in Melbourne. However, he has yet to reach the semifinals of a major and will be aiming to finally break that hoodoo this year.
Crucially, Rublev is finding form after a disappointing start to 2023 which saw him exit two warm-up tournaments in Adelaide in the opening round.
“At the beginning of the season I lost a bit of confidence with those losses, but now I am playing good tennis,” Rublev said after seeing off Evans. “After the first set I was feeling really confident and I knew I could play better, faster and that he was not comfortable with that, so I tried to play even more aggressive.”
Elsewhere in the men’s draw in Melbourne, Russia has representation in the form of Karen Khachanov, who takes on Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka in the fourth round on Sunday. Two-time Australian Open finalist Medvedev saw his hopes ended at the tournament this year when he suffered a shock third-round exit to America’s Sebastian Korda in straight sets on Friday.
Three Russian players were among the 12 selections unveiled by the league following a vote
A trio of Russian players have been added to the lineup for the NHL’s 2023 All-Star Game following a fan vote, it was revealed on Thursday. There are set to be nine Russians in total on the rosters for the four-team showpiece.
New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin and New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin have both been voted onto the team for the Metro Division, the NHL announced. In the Atlantic Division, Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy has been chosen by fans following a vote which closed earlier this week.
In total, 12 players were added to the rosters for the four NHL divisions, completing the 44-man list for the league’s annual showpiece, which this year will take place at FLA LIVE Arena in Sunrise, Florida, on February 3-4. An All-Star Skills Show will be held on the first day, followed by the All-Star Game itself.
Earlier this month, six Russian NHL stars were named among the 32 players – one from each of the league’s teams – who were initially selected by the league’s Department of Hockey Operations as 2023 All-Star participants.
Washington Capitals leader Alexander Ovechkin was named on the Metropolitan Division roster, along with right winger Andrei Svechnikov of the Carolina Hurricanes. New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin – winner of the Vezina Trophy for the NHL’s best goalie last season – is also in the Metropolitan Division ranks.
In the Atlantic Division, Russia’s Nikita Kucherov will represent the Tampa Bay Lightning – and will now be joined by compatriot and teammate Vasilevskiy following the fan vote.
For the Central Division, left wing Kirill Kaprizov of Minnesota Wild was earlier selected by the NHL panel. Russia’s Vladimir Tarasenko was also included on the initial Central Division roster, but the St. Louis Blues winger faces a race to recover in time from a hand injury.
The All-Star Game will be played in a 3-on-3 format, in a tournament featuring 11-player teams from each of the league’s four divisions. There will be nine skaters and two goalies in each of the four teams.
Three Russian players were among the 12 selections unveiled by the league following a vote
A trio of Russian players have been added to the lineup for the NHL’s 2023 All-Star Game following a fan vote, it was revealed on Thursday. There are set to be nine Russians in total on the rosters for the four-team showpiece.
New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin and New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin have both been voted onto the team for the Metro Division, the NHL announced. In the Atlantic Division, Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy has been chosen by fans following a vote which closed earlier this week.
In total, 12 players were added to the rosters for the four NHL divisions, completing the 44-man list for the league’s annual showpiece, which this year will take place at FLA LIVE Arena in Sunrise, Florida, on February 3-4. An All-Star Skills Show will be held on the first day, followed by the All-Star Game itself.
Earlier this month, six Russian NHL stars were named among the 32 players – one from each of the league’s teams – who were initially selected by the league’s Department of Hockey Operations as 2023 All-Star participants.
Washington Capitals leader Alexander Ovechkin was named on the Metropolitan Division roster, along with right winger Andrei Svechnikov of the Carolina Hurricanes. New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin – winner of the Vezina Trophy for the NHL’s best goalie last season – is also in the Metropolitan Division ranks.
In the Atlantic Division, Russia’s Nikita Kucherov will represent the Tampa Bay Lightning – and will now be joined by compatriot and teammate Vasilevskiy following the fan vote.
For the Central Division, left wing Kirill Kaprizov of Minnesota Wild was earlier selected by the NHL panel. Russia’s Vladimir Tarasenko was also included on the initial Central Division roster, but the St. Louis Blues winger faces a race to recover in time from a hand injury.
The All-Star Game will be played in a 3-on-3 format, in a tournament featuring 11-player teams from each of the league’s four divisions. There will be nine skaters and two goalies in each of the four teams.
