LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Russia remains barred from international soccer competitions including the Champions League after the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected appeals by the national soccer federation and four clubs on Friday.
CAS upheld decisions by UEFA and FIFA which excluded Russian national teams and clubs following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The ruling added that UEFA and FIFA did not exceed their authority while dealing with “unforeseen and unprecedented circumstances.”
CAS said it was unfortunate that the decisions of UEFA and FIFA as a result of the invasion were having “such an adverse effect” on Russian football.
“But those effects were, in the panel’s view, offset by the need for the secure and orderly conduct of football events for the rest of the world,” CAS ruled.
Russia had been excluded this year from men’s World Cup qualifying and the Women’s European Championship, and its clubs withdrawn from European competitions.
The latest ruling by CAS leaves national champion Zenit St. Petersburg out of the Champions League group stage. Sochi will be left out of the Champions League third qualifying round draw, scheduled for Monday. If Russian teams had been allowed to take part, it wasn’t clear where their home games could be hosted or even if their opponents would host them.
The decision on Friday was widely anticipated by Russian clubs. They have been making plans to schedule domestic cup games on the dates when European games will be played next season.
Russia’s soccer federation said it “strongly disagrees with the CAS decision and reserves the right to continue protecting its own interests.” Next steps could include a demand for compensation or a new appeal to the Swiss supreme court. The Swiss Federal Tribunal overturns CAS rulings only on limited grounds such as abuse of the legal process.
Among those benefiting from the decision is Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk. Russia’s exclusion means it keeps a place in the Champions League group stage as the team from the next highest-ranked country. Shakhtar has not played in its home city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine since the area was taken over by Russia-backed separatists in 2014.
