UEFA Vice-President apologized for supporting the admission of Russian youth teams to tournaments

First Vice-President of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), head of the Swedish Football Association Karl-Erik Nilsson apologized for voting in support of allowing Russian youth teams to compete. He was one of five vice-presidents who supported the decision, although his national team refused to compete with the Russians.

“I regret that my position at UEFA and the decision taken there have been interpreted to mean that I, as a representative of the Swedish Sports Confederation and the Swedish sports movement, do not continue to defend our common position,” it said. statement Vice President Mr Nilsson said UEFA wanted to check “whether we have thought correctly from the point of view of children, to eliminate the risk that they could be punished for acts of violence committed by adults.”

26 September UEFA Executive Committee admitted Russian youth teams are preparing for international competitions this season. It is expected that women’s and men’s teams from the Russian Federation will play their matches without the flag, the national anthem, and also not in Russia. By data Sky News, three of UEFA’s five vice-presidents were against the decision, but it was supported by Swede Karl-Erik Nilsson and Italian Gabriel Gravina. The teams of England, Poland, Sweden, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania and Norway refused to play with the Russians.

Leonid Uvarchev