After Russia’s attack on Ukraine, sport is also in limbo. Many competitions are scheduled to take place in Russia and Russian teams participate in competitions. What’s next? First reactions to the war.
- DOSB and DBS: Recommendation to “suspend competitions in Russia and the war zones”
The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) and the German Disabled Sports Association (DBS) “strongly condemn Russia’s attack on Ukraine”. In a joint written statement, DOSB President Thomas Weikert and DBS President Friedhelm Julius Beucher recommend “our member organizations to suspend participation in competitions and training measures in Russia and the war zones”.
In addition, the two top sports associations are calling on Russia to “stop the acts of war”. Beucher went on to say: “I think it is imperative that Russia must be sanctioned for its actions, with the penalties provided for such cases.”
He will seek talks with the President of the IPC, Andrew Parsons, on the joint flight to Beijing on Friday. The Russian attack put “a sad spotlight on these Paralympic Games,” Beucher explained: “Putin, with his rigorous nationalistic egoism, created facts that are intended to force people into military conflicts.”
- UEFA: special session called
The European Football Union (UEFA) has called a special Executive Committee meeting. The committee will meet on Friday “to assess the situation and make all the necessary decisions,” the continental association said. The Champions League final is currently scheduled for May 28 in St. Petersburg, Russia. UEFA had “not currently planned” a relocation of the final to ntv.de on Monday. The AP news agency is now reporting that UEFA is no longer sticking to the location of the final after the Russian attack on Ukraine.
The Russian state-owned company Gazprom is one of UEFA’s biggest sponsors. Further information on the procedure “will be announced after the UEFA Executive Committee meeting,” it said. In DFB interim president Rainer Koch and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, the former CEO of Bayern Munich, there are also two German representatives on the executive committee.
No changes were initially planned for games in the Europa League involving Russian teams either. UEFA is “in close contact with the national associations and clubs concerned,” it said: “All games will currently take place as planned.” Two Russian teams remain in the competition in Zenit St. Petersburg and Spartak Moscow.
- Formula 1: “Observe the very fluid developments closely”
The consequences for the Formula 1 race planned for autumn in Sochi are not yet foreseeable. “Formula 1, like many others, is closely monitoring the very fluid developments and at this point in time has no further comment on the race planned for September,” said a first statement from the racing series: “We will continue to monitor the situation very closely.”
This year’s Russian Grand Prix is scheduled for September 25 in Sochi. Since 2014, the Black Sea resort, which also hosted the Winter Olympics in the same year, has been used. Actually, a Formula 1 race is supposed to take place in the popular holiday resort for the last time in 2022. From 2023, a new Grand Prix is planned outside the gates of St. Petersburg.
However, the Russian GP has disappeared from the German and English ticket pages, tickets for the event cannot be bought. However, it is unclear why this is so, an ntv.de request has so far remained unanswered.
- Paralympics: “In dialogue with the Ukrainian and Russian Paralympic Committees”
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has referred to the Olympic ceasefire resolution with a view to the Winter Paralympic Games beginning on March 4th in Beijing.
“The Paralympic Winter Games fall under the Olympic Truce Resolution entitled ‘Building a Peaceful and Better World through Sport and the Olympic Ideal’, which was unanimously adopted by 193 member states at the 76th UN General Assembly,” the IPC said on ntv.de -Request that reads: “It calls for compliance with the Olympic Truce seven days before the start of the Winter Olympics on February 4, 2022, until seven days after the end of the Winter Paralympic Games on March 21.”
It is still unclear whether there will be any sporting effects on the games. “The IPC is in dialogue in advance with both the Ukrainian and the Russian Paralympic Committees,” said the world association. “As a politically neutral organization, the focus of the IPC is still more on the upcoming games than on the current situation.”
The International Olympic Committee has strongly condemned the breach of the Olympic truce. The IOC is “deeply concerned” about the safety of the Olympic community in Ukraine. Therefore, a working group was convened to monitor the situation, which should also coordinate humanitarian aid for athletes and sports officials in Ukraine.
- FIS: Locations not affected, “monitoring” the situation
The FIS and the OC are obviously reluctant to cancel the World Cup competitions in Russia this weekend. In addition to the ski crossers, ski freestylers compete in aerials in Yaroslavl northwest of Moscow. As the FIS announced, the locations are not affected by the conflict, but the situation is being monitored “with all those involved to ensure the safety of the participants”.
The Aerials competitions also affect Germany’s Emma Weiß, who travels with the Swiss team in the World Cup. “At the moment we are trying to anticipate how the situation will develop,” said Herdt. Apparently it is also being discussed that several associations are merging and chartering aircraft.
A cancellation of the World Cup finals for cross-country skiers from March 18th to 20th in Tyumen, Russia, cannot be ruled out either. As the German Press Agency learned on Thursday, there will be advice on this during the World Cup from Friday to Sunday in Lahti, Finland. Tyumen is located in Western Siberia, about 1700 kilometers from Moscow.
- DSV: Germans don’t compete in Russia
Athletes from the German Ski Association will no longer take part in international competitions in Russia and Ukraine until further notice. The decision was made together with the German Olympic Sports Confederation, it said. The German national ski cross team, which has already traveled to Russia for a World Cup, “we will bring back to Germany as soon as possible,” said DSV board member Stefan Schwarzbach.
The DSV is “fully aware of our responsibility towards our athletes as well as our coaches and supervisors,” emphasized Schwarzbach: “That’s why we check in each individual case whether it is currently sensible and possible for all participants to participate in international competitions. ” There is also a close exchange with international world associations and the DOSB. “In addition, we are in direct contact with the Foreign Office,” said Schwarzbach: “Our top priority is that the DSV does not take any risks and, if in doubt, always refrains from participating in international events.”
The Ukrainian Football Association has suspended the first division. The winter break in the Premier League was supposed to end this Friday with a game between relegation candidates FK Minaj and fourth-placed Sorja Luhansk. The Conference League participants Luhansk, coached by Viktor Skripnik since 2019, or the series champion Shakhtar Donetsk have not been training or playing in their home country for several years.
Shakhtar players and coaches live and train in the capital, Kiev. According to information from “Sky Italia”, the team and its Italian coach Roberto De Zerbi are currently stuck in a hotel in Kiev and cannot leave the country or this accommodation.
- DFL: “War is unacceptable in any form”
The German Football League also condemned the Russian attack on Ukraine “in the strongest possible terms”. “War is unacceptable in any form – and incompatible with our values of sport,” said the DFL via Twitter. “Our concerns are for the affected people on site.” The DFL is in contact with the national and international associations on this matter, it said.
- FIVB: World Championships in Russia should take place
In late summer (August 26 to September 11), the men’s volleyball world championship is to be held in Russia. Most recently, the world association FIVB announced that it wanted to stick to it. One is in exchange with the World Cup organizing committee. One observes “exactly the situation”.
- EHF: No handball in Ukraine
The European Handball Federation EHF reacted quickly, already announcing on Tuesday that no international games would take place in Ukraine for the time being. The new regulation will initially apply for four weeks and will be adjusted if necessary.
The men’s Champions League matches in question are to be played on neutral ground in Slovakia. The upcoming international matches of the Ukrainian women at the beginning of March will be played as a double match day in the Czech Republic.
“The European Handball Federation always strives to protect the integrity of its competitions and believes that a decision on the pitch is the best option,” EHF President Michael Wiederer said in a statement: “At the same time, the safety of teams , players and officials are top priority.” Two games with Ukrainian and Russian participation had already been canceled in the past two weeks. The EHF initiated “legal procedures” for their evaluation.