Russian Sports Ministry regrets UEFA’s decision to move Champions League final to Paris

The Russian Sports Ministry is regretting a decision of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) to relocate the 2022 Champions League final from Saint Petersburg, Russia. The Ministry's press office in a statement on Friday said that believe in 'standing firm in their position that sports must be beyond politics'. They added that sports 'must not be exploited as a tool for manipulations and discrimination of interests of any other party'. 

Russia Sports Ministry regrets UEFA's decision to move the 2022 Champions League final

According to the Russian news agency, TASS, the statement shared by the ministry's press office reads, "The Russian Ministry of Sports expresses its regrets regarding UEFA’s decision to relocate the final match of the Champions League from St. Petersburg. Russia has always guaranteed the implementation of its obligations in regard to the organization of large-scale international sports tournaments, including football matches, at the highest possible level."

The Russian ministry added, "We keep standing firm in our position that sports must be beyond politics and must not be exploited as a tool for manipulations and discrimination of interests of any other party whatsoever." 

UEFA's decision to move the forthcoming Champions League final comes a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine. The Champions League final will now be held in Paris, which was earlier held at Saint Petersburg's Gazprom Arena on May 28.  

Issuing a statement, UEFA said, "The UEFA executive committee decided to relocate the final of the 2021-22 UEFA Men's Champions League from St Petersburg to Stade de France in St Denis. The game will be played as initially scheduled on Saturday May 28 at 2100 CET."

"UEFA wishes to express its thanks and appreciation to French Republic president Emmanuel Macron for his personal support and commitment to have European club football's most prestigious game moved to France at a time of unparalleled crisis."

Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Russia resumed its attack on Ukraine early Friday, one day after invading the country by land, sea, and air, murdering over 100 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians and igniting a tense confrontation near the extremely deadly Chernobyl nuclear reactor, which melted down in 1986.

The Russian military began its attack before sunrise on Thursday, Day 1 of the first major land war in Europe in decades, with the terrifying thud of artillery strikes on airports and military installations across Ukraine. Russian special forces and airborne troops were pressing into the outskirts of Kyiv by the end of Thursday. While Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, and his generals' final purpose remained unknown.

Image: AP