The UAF First Vice President Oleksiy Mykhailychenko commented on the information regarding the statement sent by the UAF to UEFA with a request to remove Russian representatives from working in the administrative bodies of the European football organisation.
Oleksii Mykhailichenko. Photo: V. Rasner- We are very concerned about the situation and in our letter we state that this is unacceptable. I am also a member of the UEFA National Teams Committee and I do not understand how it is possible to cooperate with the Russians or even be in the same room with them. At the last congress, which took place in Portugal, I saw the attitude of almost all the participants towards the Russian delegation. There were no greetings - they were as if separated from the rest of the football world.
We are very grateful to FIFA and UEFA, who gave a decent assessment of the Russian terrorists and excluded them from international competitions. But with every step we take, every action we take, we must show that Russia has no place in the civilised world. For example, I am proud of what Olga Harlan has done. For me, she is not only a world champion, but also a champion of peace. No championship medals or prize money are worth more than honour, conscience and peace.
Why are Russian citizens appointed to such organisations despite the fact that the war is ongoing and Russia's crimes are being recorded? There are political and, to some extent, financial reasons, because Russia is trying to use leverage on the front line, in art and sports. They are using their entire arsenal to break into the world.
We understand that football is the game of millions, the world's number one game, and it is very important to them. But I emphasise once again that our position will remain the same as it has been since the first days of the war. We will always prove our case and fight for Russia to move as far away from football as possible," Mikhailichenko told Yedynye Novosti.
