MMS PLUS NG – Maritime, Aviation, Business, Oil and Gas News Online Newspaper with coverage in Maritime, Oil and Gas, Aviation, Power and Energy as well as Financial News
Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine is set to cost St Petersburg the hosting rights of the UEFA Champions League final match.
Other sports federations and athletes are also weighing their options.
According to sources on Thursday, European football ruling body UEFA will take the Champions League final away from St Petersburg at an emergency meeting on Friday.
But a new host is unlikely to be named.
“UEFA shares the international community’s significant concern for the security situation developing in Europe and strongly condemns the ongoing Russian military invasion in Ukraine,” it said in a second statement on the day.
“We remain resolute in our solidarity with the football community in Ukraine and stand ready to extend our hand to the Ukrainian people.
“We are dealing with this situation with the utmost seriousness and urgency. Decisions will be taken by the UEFA Executive Committee and announced tomorrow (Friday).”
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on its part said it “strongly condemns” the invasion and breach of the current Olympic Truce for the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics by Russia.
Russian had hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Sochi’s Olympic Park is now the site of a Formula One race but F1 said it was monitoring the situation.
Already, its former four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel said at pre-season tests he would not race there on Sept. 25.
After Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday formally recognised two breakaway republics on Ukrainian soil the invasion started early Thursday.
This prompted the suspension of the Ukrainian Premier League.
The League said the decision was taken after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky imposed martial law.
It was originally set to resume at the weekend from a long winter break.
Ukraine’s future in the World Cup play-offs, in which they visit Scotland next month, is uncertain, as is that of Russia who are supposed to host Poland in the semi-finals.
They would also host Sweden or the Czech Republic in the final if they win.
