At the 72nd Congress of the International Football Federation, held in Qatar on March 31, FIFA did not consider the exclusion of the Russian Football Union from its membership, despite the full-scale war in Ukraine by the occupiers from Russia.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino explained why the issue was not even on the agenda.
“Excluding the RFU from FIFA is not an option. If we do not bring people together during our congresses, then it is better for us to stop our activities and go home. I can only urge leaders to dialogue and de-escalate the conflict.
Excluding the Russian national team and Russian clubs was a difficult decision. It affected people who love football. But for us, it was a way to bring peace closer, “Infantino said.
It should be noted that the flirtations between the officials of the International Football Federation and the occupying country did not end there. Thus, the FIFA Congress decided to give Russian the status of the official language of the organization.