Sports
FOOTHBALL teams from Belarus can continue playing in European competitions for now as the continent’s football governing body UEFA is yet to decide whether to exclude them or not.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said on Wednesday that the issue was discussed by the executive committee the previous day.
He however said the situation would continue to be monitored until the committee’s next meeting on June 28.
The only decision reached was that Belarus can not bid for the women’s under-19 Euros in 2025.
Russian teams were banned by UEFA and the world governing body FIFA after the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Belarus is an ally of Russia but its teams can compete, with their home games however having to take place on neutral ground and behind closed doors.
The men’s national team recently played, and lost, its first two Euro 2024 qualifiers.
There have been calls lately for Belarusian clubs to be banned.
This was with members of the European parliament warning in a letter to Ceferin that not only the values of UEFA but also its reputation were at stake.
The Belarusian Sport Solidarity Foundation (BSSF) has also repeatedly asked UEFA and FIFA to exclude the nation’s team.(dpa/NAN)
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Tags: Aleksander Ceferin . Belarusian Sport Solidarity Foundation FIFA UEFA
