February 25, (THEWILL) – As a direct result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the 2021/2022 Champions League final will be held in Paris rather than Saint Petersburg, as originally billed.
Following the intensification of military activity, UEFA reaffirmed the decision, at an emergency meeting on Friday.
The final, which was scheduled to take place on May 28 at the Gazprom Arena, will now be held in Paris, with the Stade de France designated as the new venue. Alternative cities such as London, Munich, and Istanbul were considered before Paris was chosen.
This season, no European competition games will be played in Russia or Ukraine, with teams from both countries now compelled to play their home games at neutral grounds.
The UEFA statement to this effect read in part: “The UEFA Executive Committee further determined to remain on standby to convene further extraordinary meetings, on a regular ongoing basis where required, to reassess the legal and factual situation as it evolves and adopt further decisions as necessary.”
Many teams have spoken out against Russia’s recent military actions. As THEWILL reported, Schalke has ceased wearing Gazprom on the front of their shirts, and UEFA is now considering cutting ties with the same major sponsor, given that Gazprom is a Russian state-owned energy behemoth.
The violence and violation of international law were also criticised by Borussia Dortmund.
Also, in a joint statement, Poland, Sweden, and the Czech Republic demanded that FIFA transfer play-off games out of Russia, while the Russia Grand Prix in Sachi in September is set to be cancelled and moved to Turkey.
According to Ukraine, Russian military have arrived in Kyiv, with videos showing tanks pushing through the city’s northern area.
So far, at least 137 Ukrainian residents have been dead, including military and civilians, and Russian troops have taken control of the infamous Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
Russia’s invasion was illegal under international law, and Vladimir Putin and his cohorts were widely denounced internationally as a result.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
