The European football association UEFA is intensively discussing whether Belarus should also be excluded from its competitions.
The sports show learned this from political circles in Berlin. Accordingly, on Wednesday (October 12th, 2022) there was a meeting of the sports committee in the Bundestag, in which the members were informed that the exclusion of Belarusian teams from all competitions organized by UEFA was being discussed “hotly” at the association.
Aleksander CeferinPresident of UEFA, said in an interview with “Sport-Bild” published on Wednesday that his association saw “no reason”in addition to the Russian teams, which have been excluded since the end of February, also the Belarusian ones, but there is said to have been a change of heart due to current developments. “If things change, we will certainly react”said Ceferin.
Ukraine also under fire from Belarus
According to information from the sports show, the interview was conducted before the Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced on Monday (October 10, 2022) that it would set up a joint military unit with Russia. Officially, he wanted to protect his country from a possible attack by Ukraine.
The Belarusian dictator is closely aligned with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who on February 24, 2022 ordered his army to invade the entire territory of Ukraine. Belarus made its territory available to Moscow as a deployment area and base. Ukraine has repeatedly reported rocket fire from Belarusian territory and attacks by warplanes that are said to have come from Belarusian airspace.
United Nations declares referendums illegal
On Wednesday, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution by a large majority calling on Russia to reverse the illegal annexation of the partially occupied Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia and Kherson.
The resolution declares the so-called “referendums” previously held by Russia to be illegal. Four of the 193 member states of the United Nations voted with Russia against adopting the resolution: Syria, Nicaragua, North Korea and, as the only European state, Belarus.
The Federal Ministry of the Interior demands the exclusion of Belarus – in vain
Lukashenko’s announcement of direct support for the Russian war and voting behavior at the United Nations in new York increase the pressure on UEFA, which had already been built up by the federal government.
The news magazine “Der Spiegel” reported in mid-September on a letter from the Federal Minister of the Interior, Nancy Faeser (SPD), to the UEFA President Ceferinin which she requested that too “Belarus, as a key supporter of the Russian leadership, to be banned from all international football matches and tournaments” should. The letter was confirmed to the sports show from government circles.
As early as July 5, Germany, along with 34 other countries, called for the suspension of both associations from the international sports organizations. Russia and Belarus are both full members of FIFA and UEFA, with only the Russian teams suspended. Gazprom manager Alexander Dyukov currently sits on the Executive Committee, UEFA’s most powerful body. He recently confirmed that the Russian FA continues to receive regular payments from FIFA and UEFA.
Uefa: “Observing the situation closely”
When asked by the sports show whether UEFA sees a need for action because of the new developments, on Friday (October 14th, 2022) it repeated an answer from Monday that the association was monitoring the situation closely and would make further decisions if necessary, after it had been decided in March that Belarusian teams are no longer allowed to play their international home games on their own territory.
Unlike Russia, who were no longer able to take part in qualifying for the World Cup in Qatar due to their exclusion, Belarusian teams were represented in the European Cup, but have all been eliminated in the meantime.
According to the current status, Belarus is playing in the qualification for the EM 2024
At the draw of the groups for the qualification for the EM 2024 in Frankfurt am Main on Sunday (October 9th, 2022). CeferinFaeser and DFB President Bernd Neuendorf together on site – Belarus was not discussed officially.
Left to right: UEFA President Alexander Čeferin, DFB President Bernd Neuendorf and Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser
Belarus have been drawn into a group with Switzerland, Andorra, Israel, Romania and Kosovo for Euro 2024 qualifiers. The sports show asked the associations whether they, like Germany’s interior minister, would support the exclusion of Belarus.
Andorra and Romania have not responded so far, the Israeli federation said: “As always, we will abide by UEFA’s decisions.” Kosovo’s association president Agim Ademi made a similar statement.
Switzerland, on March 25, 2023 Belarus’ first opponent in a neutral place, replied that “we plan and approach these two games like the other games too”since Belarus is not excluded. “It will be almost half a year before the first qualifiers start. Nobody can know what the situation in the region will be like then.”