Champions League final stripped from Russia by UEFA over Ukraine crisis
The Gazprom Stadium in St Petersburg, Russia, was meant to host the UEFA Champions League final. Credit: Wikimedia Commons
The hosting of the Champions League final has been stripped from Russia by UEFA over the escalating crisis in Ukraine.
UEFA confirmed today that the final of the Men’s Champions League 2021/2022 tournament will no longer take place in Saint Petersburg.
Instead, teams will compete at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis.
UEFA said that the ‘grave escalation of the security situation’ in Europe had forced them to make the changes.
The executive committee’s meeting today also decided that Russian and Ukranian clubs would only be allowed to play their home matches at neutral venues until further notice.
Russia has this week launched a full-scale invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, with Russian troops now reportedly entering the capital city of Kyiv.
Russian forces have also seized control of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, and air strikes have been reported across Ukraine.
The UEFA executive committee has said that the Champions League final will still take place on the scheduled date of Saturday 28 May.
They said: “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.
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“Together with the French government, UEFA will fully support multi-stakeholder efforts to ensure the provision of rescue for football players and their families in Ukraine who face dire human suffering, destruction and displacement.
“At today’s meeting, the UEFA Executive Committee also decided that Russian and Ukrainian clubs and national teams competing in UEFA competitions will be required to play their home matches at neutral venues until further notice.
|The UEFA Executive Committee further determined to remain on standby to convene further extraordinary meetings, on a regular ongoing basis where required, to reassess the legal and factual situation as it evolves and adopt further decisions as necessary.”
Featured image: Wikimedia Commons