UEFA will be changing the location of this season’s Champions League final from St Petersburg where it was slated to be held, due to the Ukraine-Russia crisis.
Putin has ordered his troops to two states overseen by rebels – affiliated to Russia – in the eastern side of Ukraine and the likeliness of an invasion cannot be ruled out.
Recently, the United Kingdom placed sanctions on Russia as a reaction to Russia moving into Ukraine.
In this light, the UEFA will very likely be changing place of hosting the final.
Prime Minister Boris of the UK declared on Tuesday in the House of Commons that it was not advisable to hold football tournaments in a country that saw nothing wrong in invading independent countries.
READ ALSO: PM Boris Johnson Delays Moves On Plan To Make UK Live With Covid
According to the Leadership, Nadine Dorries, Culture Secretary stated that she had felt quite concerned about holding the game in Russia and declared the need to relate this concern to the organizing body.
On why she felt it unreasonable to have the game in Russia, she said:
“We won’t allow [Russia] President [Vladimir] Putin to exploit events on the world stage to legitimise his illegal invasion of Ukraine.”
Former UK sports minister Tracey Crouch said to the news agency that UEFA should make plans to move the final from Russia at once.
According to sources, the UEFA has made no clear decision on where exactly they want the final held; nevertheless, the organizers are weighing their options around the issue.
Change of plans is underway after President Putin of Russia mentioned on Monday in a public declaration that he recognized Luhansk and Donetsk as sovereign states within Ukraine, thus sparking sanctions on Russia and anger from allies.
Comments 1