Members of the European Parliament have called on FIFA President Gianni Infantino to reverse the decision allowing Russian teams to participate in the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in Azerbaijan later this year.
According to İdman.Biz, citing POLITICO, 44 Members of the European Parliament sent a joint letter arguing that Russia should not be allowed to compete in FIFA tournaments until, among other conditions, it enters peace negotiations with Ukraine.
"We call on FIFA to stand on the side of peace and not appease the aggressor – Russia," the lawmakers said in their letter.
Last week, FIFA officially announced the launch of the first-ever U-15 World Cup for boys and girls. The tournament is set to be held in Azerbaijan in October and will be open to all FIFA member associations, making Russia eligible to participate under the current regulations.
The signatories of the letter warned that the decision could trigger a boycott by several national football associations. They argued that Russia's participation could undermine the integrity of FIFA competitions and distort the principles of fair sporting competition.
Earlier, the Ukrainian Association of Football stated that its national teams would not take part in international competitions featuring Russian teams.
The inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup is expected to bring together youth national teams from across the globe and marks a new addition to FIFA's international competition calendar.
