CAS upholds banning Russian teams from UEFA competitions

Russia remains locked out of European soccer competitions after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) denied the Russian Football Union’s appeal against UEFA’s ban.

“The challenged decision remains in force and all Russian teams and clubs continue to be suspended from participation in UEFA competitions,” CAS said in a statement Tuesday.

A separate ruling on the Russian men’s team’s removal from World Cup qualifiers is expected later this week.

CAS upholding UEFA’s ban means the country is still barred from this summer’s European Women’s Championship in England and from its youth teams’ qualifiers for European Championships. Spartak Moscow remain unable to continue their Europa League journey; their last-16 opponents, RB Leipzig, were given a bye to the quarterfinals.

Russia’s soccer governing body also appealed FIFA’s decision to throw its men’s team out of its upcoming playoff matches for the 2022 World Cup. The union accused FIFA of bowing to “pressure from direct rivals” – namely the governing bodies of Poland, Sweden, and the Czech Republic – when deciding to throw Russia out of the qualifiers.

CAS said it will likely make a decision on that specific appeal “at the end of this week.”

FIFA and UEFA imposed their bans for an indefinite period on Feb. 28 while jointly expressing “full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine” after Russia began its invasion of the country four days earlier.

Domestic football continues in Russia amid international condemnation. The Russian Premier League has another full slate of matches scheduled for next weekend, but several clubs have faced an exodus since Russia declared war on Ukraine. Earlier in March, eight foreign players left top-flight club Krasnodar, following German manager Daniel Farke and his coaching staff.