Facebook icon
Twitter icon
e-mail icon

Sports and politics in action – Formula 1 and UEFA cancel Russian events

In the aftermath of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, both the UEFA Champions League and Formula 1 have cancelled scheduled sporting events in Russia.

European football's governing body held an emergency meeting earlier this morning and announced that the 2022 Champions League final will be played in Paris, instead of St Petersburg on 28 May.

"Together with the French government, Uefa will fully support multi-stakeholder efforts to ensure the provision of rescue for football players and their families in Ukraine who face dire human suffering, destruction and displacement," said UEFA in an announcement.

Russian Football Union (RFU) president Alexander Dyukov slammed the move, stating that it was “dictated by political reasons”. “The RFU has always adhered to the principle of 'sport is out of politics'," he added.

Despite his remarks, the move comes on the back of a host of other sporting bodies cutting ties with Russia.

Also earlier today Formula 1 announced “it is impossible to hold the Russian Grand Prix in the current circumstances” and would be moving this year’s race.

A host of other sporting teams, from Manchester United to Formula 1’s Haas racing team – which is sponsored by the father of one of its drivers – have cut ties to Russian companies.

Read more from the BBC here.

We need your support

Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.

Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view

We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.

For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.