Most UEFA members support allowing Russian U17 teams to play on neutral fields

MOSCOW, September 24. /TASS/. Most members of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) endorsed the authorization of Russian national teams for players aged below 17 (U17) for matches on neutral fields during the meeting of national federations’ presidents and secretaries general, says Nikolay Sherstnev, President of the Belarusian Football Federation.
“The UEFA leadership decided to discuss the matter of authorization for Russian under-17 teams, to see how European federations would take it, in order to make the final decision,” Sherstnev told TASS. “So it was the UEFA that proposed this initiative. The preparatory work has already been done and negotiated with a number of federations. As a representative of Belarus, I stated that it is necessary to consider the return of 17-year-olds despite any sanctions. If there is no air service, they should be authorized to play on neutral fields, which will be okay, actually, and the majority supported that.”
On September 23, Ukrainian reporter Viktor Vatsko said that President of the Hellenic Football Federation Chrysostomos Gkagkatsis offered to return Russian youth teams to international competitions. His proposal was supported by representatives of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro.
“A lot more countries supported it; only few countries opposed it or treated it with caution. But the principle that football is beyond politics has prevailed. The Russian Football Federation was represented only by [Secretary General] Maxim Mitrofanov. Each side could voluntarily speak up on this issue. Now, I believe, this issue will be discussed in the UEFA Executive Committee, because the UEFA has heard that the majority supports the authorization for Russian under-17 teams. It is necessary to make the first step, to authorize them to play on neutral fields, at least,” Sherstnev added.
In February, 2022, FIFA and UEFA suspended Russian clubs from competing over the situation in Ukraine. In September, 2023, the UEFA Executive Committee authorized Russian under-17 teams to compete, but cancelled its own decision later in October. Russian teams were supposed to play without their national flag, anthem, national uniform and not on Russian territory. UEFA explained that no technical solution was found that would allow Russian teams to play. Later, UEFA President Aleksander Cheferin told DPA that some national associations, being under influence of their governments, are unwilling to return Russian youth teams to international competitions.