Shevchenko plans to tell Infantino face-to-face that Russia's football ban must stand

"Andriy Shevchenko will seek a meeting with Gianni Infantino on Thursday to discuss the Fifa president's recent comments that favoured Russia's return to international football competitions. Infantino sparked condemnation in Ukraine when, speaking in an interview last week, he said the ban on Russia's participation should be reassessed. Shevchenko, the Ukrainian Association of Football president, is looking to restate Ukraine's position in private when the pair attend Uefa's congress in Brussels."

"Speaking to a domestic audience on Monday, Shevchenko said he hoped soon to convey, in concrete terms, information about the war in Ukraine and our position. It is understood he may get the opportunity on the sidelines of Uefa's annual convention, which Infantino is also expected to address. The consistent stance held by Shevchenko and his governing body is that nothing has changed since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine four years ago and that a route back for its clubs or national sides is unthinkable under the status quo."

"Russia were frozen out of competitive football because prospective opponents refused to play them. There is no groundswell to reverse that trend and, in practice, it is highly unlikely their return to World Cup or European Championship qualifiers would be viable even if Infantino and Fifa managed to welcome them back. But Infantino's comments risk serving to normalise the idea of Russia's comeback and have caused serious concern in Kyiv."

Shevchenko will seek a meeting with Infantino to challenge comments favouring Russia's return to international football. Infantino said the ban on Russia's participation should be reassessed, prompting condemnation in Ukraine. Shevchenko aims to restate Ukraine's position privately at Uefa's congress in Brussels and convey concrete information about the war and Ukraine's stance. The UAF maintains that nothing has changed since Russia's full-scale invasion and that a route back for Russian clubs or national teams is unthinkable under current circumstances. Infantino's remarks risk normalising a comeback and have caused serious concern in Kyiv amid ongoing wartime hardships.

Read at www.theguardian.com