The Know-Nothing in Football telegram channel, run by former UAF employee Volodymyr Chorno-Ivanov, clarified the situation regarding the Romanian media's publications that the Ukrainian national youth team should be credited with a technical defeat in the opening match of Euro 2023 (U-21) against Croatia (2:0) due to the participation in this match of Anatolii Trubin and Heorhii Sudakov, who less than 48 hours earlier had taken part in a match between the national teams (Ukraine - Malta - 1:0).
Anatoly Trubin. Photo by O. VasylievaRegarding the following article: "The Romanian Football Federation has appealed to FIFA regarding a possible violation of the regulations by Ukraine due to the participation of Trubin and Sudakov in the first match of Euro 2023 U-21".
The source is the Romanian media outlet playsport.ro and the corresponding article with the following headline: "Ucraina a folosit doi fotbaliști fără drept de joc în meciul împotriva Croației de la Euro U 21. Ce spune FRF". What Google says in this case: "Ukraine used two ineligible players in the Euro U21 match against Croatia, says Romanian Football Federation"
The application of the Romanian "youth" includes a footballer Vladimir Screciu, who on 19 June this year took part in the match of the "A" team (national team - ed.) against the Swiss national team. In turn, Romania U-21 played the first UEFA Euro U-21 2023 game against Spain on 21 June. After appropriate consultations with the Romanian FA and FIFA, the head coach of the home team, Emil Sandoi, did not include Vladimir Screciu in the application for the opening match of the Romanians against Spain. The article quotes the following direct language (Google translation):
"According to Article 1, paragraph 4 of Annex 1 of the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfers of Players, a break of two calendar days is required between two games, for example, you can play on Thursday and Sunday, with a break. on Friday and Saturday.
- Given the situation, knowing that some of the U21 players will be in the first team, Germany turned to UEFA for clarification. The Forum in Nyon referred us to FIFA, who confirmed to us that if a player is used on Monday for the first national team, he cannot be used on Wednesday for the U21 EURO. Regarding the situation in Ukraine, the FRF is not in a position to comment on the strategy of other teams and/or their way of complying with the current rules."
I would like to point out that for some reason, playsport.ro changed the name of Vladimir Screciu to Valentin Screciu. At the same time, the official UEFA resource lists this player as Vladimir Screciu. But this is just a small note and let's move on to the FIFA regulations themselves.
The FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (March 2023) does indeed have Annex 1, Article 1 and paragraph 4. It contains the following words (this is p.57):
"The relevant matches may be scheduled on any day as from Wednesday during the international window, provided that a minimum of two full calendar days are left between the two matches (e.g. Thursday/Sunday or Saturday/Tuesday)".
What is important here: "the international window". In the same paragraph 4 of Article 1 of Annex 1, already on page 56, we can see the definition of "the international window".
"An international window is defined as a period of nine days beginning on Monday morning and ending on Tuesday night of the following week (subject to the temporary exceptions below), which is reserved for representative teams' activities".
What are representative teams? These are national teams of national football associations. Very formally, these are all national teams, without exception, from the youth U-14/15 to the "A" team, or the first national team of the country. Thus, this international window also applies to the U-21 national teams.
But that's not all. Because when it comes to international windows, the FIFA International Match Calendar appears. This is already paragraph 2 of Article 1 of Annex 1 (p.56):
"The release of players under the terms of paragraph 1 of this article is mandatory for all international windows listed in the international match calendar".
Here is the latest version of the FIFA International Match Calendar:
MEN'S INTERNATIONAL MATCH CALENDAR 2023-2030 FIXED DATES FOR INTERNATIONAL "A" MATCHES & Circular no. 1840 Zurich, 6 April 2023 Updates on the Men's and Women's International Match Calendars.
I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the calendar contains the following phrase in its title: FIXED DATES FOR INTERNATIONAL "A" MATCHES. At the same time, in accordance with the REGULATIONS Governing International Matches): "5. International "A" Match: a match for which both Members field their first Representative Team ("A" Representative Team)".
In other words, FIFA's regulations governing the organisation of international matches state that an International "A" Match is a match involving the first representative teams of the national football associations of FIFA members.
Thus, everything written in Article 1, paragraph 4 of Annex 1 of the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players concerns matches during the FIFA international window, which is regulated by the FIFA international match calendar, which in turn contains information that the June 2023 FIFA window began on 12 June and ended on 20 June. However, this applies only to matches involving the first Representative Team ("A" Representative Team). Where does the U-21 team fit in?
Meanwhile, the final part of the UEFA U-21 European Championship 2021/23 began on Wednesday 21 June 2023, already outside the relevant FIFA window. Formally, this means that clubs had the right not to release their players for this competition based on the terms of the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players. But there are similar national regulations... Thus, all the players included in the application of the teams participating in the final round of the UEFA Euro U-21 2023 tournament have the appropriate consent from their clubs, and the conditions regarding "a minimum of two full calendar days are left between two matches" do not apply to this competition, as it is held outside the FIFA international window. This is a paradox.
As a result, in my opinion, firstly, there was no violation of FIFA regulations. Secondly, I see no reason not to use the players who were officially declared by UEFA for this competition within less than two calendar days after the previous game as part of the representative team of the respective national football association of a FIFA member and UEFA, because the UEFA competition started outside the FIFA international window.
On the other hand, I may be wrong and not know all the legal nuances. That is why this is only my opinion, which, in turn, is based on my knowledge of the relevant FIFA regulations and some experience of working with representative teams of the national football association. As usual, you should not believe a single word I say. Please check and double-check the above sources of information, because anyone can be wrong.
