Izuchukwu Okosi
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Poland will not play their 2022 World Cup play-off with Russia in Moscow on March 24 due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the president of the Polish football federation announced on Saturday.
The conflict has escalated since Russian leader Vladimir Putin unleashed a full-scale invasion that has killed dozens of people, forced more than 50,000 to flee Ukraine and into neighbouring Poland in just 48 hours and sparked fears of a wider conflict in Europe.
“The time for talking is over. It is time to act. Due to the escalation of the Russian Federation’s aggression in Ukraine, the Polish team does not envisage playing the play-off against Russia,” wrote Cezary Kulesza, adding it was the “only correct decision”.
Kulesza had said he would work with the Swedish and Czech federations – the winners of their match would have to play in Russia (on March 29) if the latter beat Poland – to present a unified position to FIFA.
The three Federations have consequently released a joint statement demanding FIFA move the respective play-offs from Russia – who only four years ago hosted the World Cup finals.
Polish captain Robert Lewandowski who tweeted on Friday that he would consult his team-mates about the match and has welcomed his federation’s move.
“The right decision!” tweeted Bayern Munich’s star striker on Saturday.
“I cannot imagine playing a match with the Russian national team in a situation when armed aggression in Ukraine continues.
“Russian footballers and fans are not responsible for this, but we cannot pretend that nothing is happening.”
“Everything which is beautiful in sports is against what war brings,” the 2021 FIFA The Best winner said.
“For all people who value freedom and peace this is a time of solidarity with the victims of the military agression in Ukraine.”
FIFA are yet to react to the latest Polish move on Saturday.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
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