Infantino's Controversial Stance on Russia's Ban Sparks Outrage

Tue Feb 03 2026 17:27:43 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

FIFA president Gianni Infantino faces backlash for suggesting a review of Russia's ban from international football, with Ukraine's sports minister calling his comments 'irresponsible' and 'infantile'.

In light of ongoing conflict, FIFA President Gianni Infantino's proposal to reconsider the ban on Russian teams has drawn sharp criticism from Ukraine's sports minister, who emphasizes the real-life impact of war on athletes and the importance of sports remaining detached from political violence.

Ukraine's sports minister has called Fifa president Gianni Infantino 'irresponsible' and 'infantile' for saying that world football's governing body will look at lifting a ban on Russia.

Russian national teams and clubs were suspended from all competitions by Fifa and Uefa in February 2022 after the country's invasion of Ukraine.

With the war still ongoing, Infantino stated that 'this ban has not achieved anything' and has merely 'created more frustration and hatred'. He suggested that allowing children from Russia to play football in Europe could promote understanding.

In response, Ukrainian sports minister Matvii Bidnyi criticized Infantino, claiming his comments are disconnected from the harsh realities faced by war-affected children, stating: 'Gianni Infantino’s words sound irresponsible - not to say infantile.' He added that since the onset of Russia's aggression, over 650 Ukrainian athletes have died, including more than 100 footballers.

Infantino was honored with a Russian Order of Friendship medal by President Vladimir Putin following the 2018 World Cup held in Russia. Since the ban was instituted, Russian teams have missed international competitions like the 2022 World Cup and UEFA's Euro 2024.

Although Russia's teams cannot compete in Europe, they have been able to play against non-Western nations without FIFA or UEFA's permission. Bidnyi emphasized, 'As long as Russians continue killing Ukrainians and politicizing sport, their flag should not be respected in football.' He echoed the position of the Ukrainian Association of Football which opposes Russia's return to international competitions.

Last year, Ukraine publicly condemned the International Paralympic Committee for lifting a ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes, expressing outrage that it allowed countries involved in aggression to showcase their symbols at sporting events.

Despite the IPC's policy changes, Russian and Belarusian para-athletes will remain absent from the upcoming Winter Paralympics, as a majority of the sports governing bodies opted to keep their sanctions intact against the two countries.