You're reading: Ukraine demands FIFA, UEFA sanction Russia over incorporation of Crimean soccer teams (UPDATE)

Ukrainian Football Federation chief Anatoliy Konkov has asked the world and Europe’s soccer governing bodies to take measures, including the imposition of sanctions, towards the Russian Football Union after three Crimean clubs on Aug. 12 competed in the Russia Cup. 

“We bore witness to how the executive committee of the
Russian Football Union is illegally and arbitrarily embracing the Ukrainian clubs
from the Crimea peninsula,” he stated in an Aug. 12
letter
to FIFA and UEFA.

Ukraine considers Crimea, which Russia annexed five months
ago in March, a part of its territory, while the international community at
large has not recognized its takeover. Earlier this month, Russia incorporated
five Crimean clubs, including SKChF Sevastopol, Zhemchuzhina Yalta and Tavria
Simferopol.

“Crimea is a part of Ukraine, therefore all football subjects of the Crimea are under the jurisdiction of the Football Federation of Ukraine,”
stated Konkov’s letter to FIFA president Sepp Blatter and UEFA president Michel
Platini.

A FIFA spokesperson responding to a Kyiv Post request for comment acknowledged receiving Konkov’s letter stating that it “is aware of the fact that clubs from Crimea have played matches of the Russian Cup on Tuesday, 12 August 2014. FIFA will handle the matter based on the relevant processes that should be overseen by the confederation (UEFA) in the first instance. For the time being we can’t make any further comments.”

In response to a Kyiv Post inquiry, UEFA, Europe’s soccer governing body, said it “is monitoring the situation and is in contact with both national associations to discuss the matter. We have no further comment to make at this stage.”

Meanwhile, the trio of Crimean clubs yesterday played in
Russia’s third-tier, second division.

“As far as we know, the Russian Football Union
officially informed neither UEFA nor FIFA about this decision. I consider it
necessary to inform you that three Ukrainian clubs have played in the
Russian Cup,” continued Konkov. “As the president of the national (football)
association, I appeal to you to take necessary measures to resolve the
situation which has arisen, including levying sanctions towards the party that
violated regulations and ignores the basic principles of higher football
institutions.”

According to the Associated Press, Tavria Simferopol shares
its name with a former Ukrainian champion club, but is now a new entity. SKChF,
meaning Sports Club of the (Russian) Black Sea Fleet, will use a stadium
occupied by now-defunct Ukrainian Premier League team FC Sevastopol, and Tavria
is expected to do likewise, the AP reported.

FC Sevastopol belonged to newly minted Ukrainian citizen
billionaire Vadim Novinsky and Tavria was linked to chemicals tycoon Dmytro
Firtash who is challenging extradition to the U.S. in Vienna. It is not clear whether they still control the new clubs. 

The football association president concluded the letter by
asking FIFA and UEFA to address the matter of Crimean clubs competing in Russia
at “at their earliest convenience.”

Editor’s Note: This article was updated to include separate responses from FIFA and UEFA to a Kyiv Post query. 

Kyiv Post editor Mark
Rachkevych can be reached at [email protected].