Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine will cost St Petersburg the hosting rights of the UEFA Champions League final match.
According to reports, European football ruling body UEFA will take the Champions League final away from St Petersburg at an emergency meeting today, 25th of February 2022.
Other sports federations and athletes are also weighing their options.
But a new host is unlikely to be named.
“UEFA shares the international community’s significant concern for the security situation developing in Europe and strongly condemns the ongoing Russian military invasion in Ukraine,” it said in a second statement on the day.
“We remain resolute in our solidarity with the football community in Ukraine and stand ready to extend our hand to the Ukrainian people.
“We are dealing with this situation with the utmost seriousness and urgency. Decisions will be taken by the UEFA Executive Committee and announced tomorrow (Friday).”
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on its part said it “strongly condemns” the invasion and breach of the current Olympic Truce for the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics by Russia.
Russian had hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Sochi’s Olympic Park is now the site of a Formula One race but F1 said it was monitoring the situation.
Already, its former four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel said at pre-season tests he would not race there on Sept. 25.
After Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday formally recognised two breakaway republics on Ukrainian soil, the invasion started early Thursday.
This prompted the suspension of the Ukrainian Premier League.
The League said the decision was taken after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky imposed martial law.
It was originally set to resume at the weekend from a long winter break.
Ukraine’s future in the World Cup play-offs, in which they visit Scotland next month, is uncertain, as is that of Russia who are supposed to host Poland in the semi-finals.
They would also host Sweden or the Czech Republic in the final if they win.
But all three teams have demanded the fixtures be moved from Russia.
World football governing body FIFA said it “condemns the use of force by Russia in Ukraine”.
It added it would “continue to monitor the situation and updates in relation to the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifiers would be communicated in due course.”
UEFA has been under pressure all week to strip St Petersburg of the Champions League final.
Its partner fan group Football Supporters Europe (FSE) said that “given the events unfolding, we expect an imminent announcement from UEFA on the relocation of the Champions League final from St Petersburg.”
The ruling Ski body FIS said it would discuss cross country and ski jumping World Cup events in Russia in March but that freestyle events there this weekend would be held.
The German ski federation said its athletes would not compete in Russia and Ukraine.
This was after the German Olympic Sports Confederation and German Disability Sports Federation said their member-organisations should “suspend participating in competition and training in Russia and in the war zones.”
The IOC said it would “coordinate humanitarian assistance to members of the Olympic Community in Ukraine where possible.”
The United Nations-backed Olympic Truce started seven days before the February 4 to Feb. 20 Beijing Winter Olympics.
It runs until seven days after the completion of the March 4 to March 13 Winter Paralympics there.
The Paralympic body IPC said it was in talks with representatives from Russia and Ukraine, and “as a politically -neutral organisation, the IPC’s focus remains on the upcoming Games rather than the ongoing situation.”
Looking at the F1 race in Sochi, a spokesperson said they are “closely watching the very fluid developments like many others.
”At this time, we have no further comment on the race scheduled for September.”
But Vettel said he has made up his mind that it is “wrong to race in that country.”
Reigning champion Max Verstappen also said that “when a country is at war, it is not right to race there” but that a decision should come from the whole paddock.
U.S. sanctions imposed on Russia and individuals led to the resignation of Matthias Warnig from the supervisory board of German football club Schalke 04.
Gazprom are Schalke 04’s main sponsor and also a major UEFA sponsor.
It is not clear whether the conflict will also affect these areas but Schalke 04 said they were removing the Gazprom name from their shirts.
And Barcelona were among various basketball teams who said they would not travel to Russia for matches.
However, the global volleyball federation said its position remained unchanged and its men’s world championship was still planned for Russia from August 26 to September 11.
