Russian Invasion of Ukraine: CAS 2022/A/8708 Football Union of Russia v. FIFA et al

Date of the decision: 2022-11-25

Arbitrator(s): Leanne O'Leary Michael Beloff K.C. Jeffrey Benz

The case brief summarizes the legal proceedings undertaken by the Football Union of Russia (FUR) after its affiliated representative teams were banned from entering FIFA-organized competitions in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. However, CAS upheld the ban imposed by UEFA on FUR. This case is related to CAS 2022/A/8865, CAS 2022/A/8866, CAS 2022/A/8867 & CAS 2022/A/8868 and CAS 2022/A/8709.

Facts and Procedure

FUR’s men’s national team finished second in Group H in round one of the World Cup 2022 Qualification Competition and advanced to the second-round playoffs. On 24 February 2022, the military conflict in Ukraine started to unfold.

On 24 February 2022, the European Council and the Council of Europe condemned the military action. On 25 February 2022, the IOC Executive Board issued a statement recommending that “all International Sports Federations relocate or cancel their sports events currently planned in Russia or Belarus.”

In the following days, the Swedish FA, the Polish FA and the Czech FA issued...

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