Support for Ukraine

[HitchinRed]

I see that Poland has confirmed that it will refuse to play Russia in a World Cup qualifier. 

We all know that FIFA will be weighing up the $s before they consider what action to take, so the question is should England also boycott any match with Russia, even if this means disqualification from the World Cup?

 

[Sweeneys Penalties]

1 minute ago, HitchinRed said:

I see that Poland has confirmed that it will refuse to play Russia in a World Cup qualifier. 

We all know that FIFA will be weighing up the $s before they consider what action to take, so the question is should England also boycott any match with Russia, even if this means disqualification from the World Cup?

 

Yes. Putin loves sport, so he shouldnt get any benefit from seeing his National play anywhere. We should definitely follow Polands lead and refuse to play the game. FIFA havent got a spine, but the likes of Poland and I'd hope England could help them develop one

[CyderInACan]

For as long as Russia continues to wage war in Ukraine they should be suspended from all sporting events. 

[City oz]

Why?. It is Putin that is the issue and not the majority of Russians or there football clubs. My opinion is if the Russian football teams are willing to travel then lets play.

Why should the world wide greatest sport be a pawn in a chess game with an idiot like Putin.

 

[The Dolman Pragmatist]

1 minute ago, City oz said:

Why?. It is Putin that is the issue and not the majority of Russians or there football clubs. My opinion is if the Russian football teams are willing to travel then lets play.

Why should the world wide greatest sport be a pawn in a chess game with an idiot like Putin.

 

It’s tough on the Russian people, but it has to happen.  South Africa was excluded from international sport and it was absolutely the right thing to do, and played its part in ending apartheid.

[City oz]

1 minute ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

It’s tough on the Russian people, but it has to happen.  South Africa was excluded from international sport and it was absolutely the right thing to do, and played its part in ending apartheid.

Some what agree. This though is a bit different so jury out on why this is similar to apartheid. Putin is out of control and there is a threat to Europe if he is not contained. Football still needs to go ahead. It is the world sporting favourite to all around the world. The Russians are great at football and we need to encourage them if they do manage to play in other countries over the next few months. Most importantly we need to support them which will shove two fingers up Putins A%"e

[lenred]

1 minute ago, City oz said:

Some what agree. This though is a bit different so jury out on why this is similar to apartheid. Putin is out of control and there is a threat to Europe if he is not contained. Football still needs to go ahead. It is the world sporting favourite to all around the world. The Russians are great at football and we need to encourage them if they do manage to play in other countries over the next few months. Most importantly we need to support them which will shove two fingers up Putins A%"e

Unfortunately it will do quite the opposite as he will just delight in the lack of action being taken against him and his regime.  Understand it’s not ‘fair’ on the sports people themselves but sanctions of all sorts need to be taken against this regime, including sporting. 

[pongo88]

1 hour ago, City oz said:

Why?. It is Putin that is the issue and not the majority of Russians or there football clubs. My opinion is if the Russian football teams are willing to travel then lets play.

Why should the world wide greatest sport be a pawn in a chess game with an idiot like Putin.

 

The Russian media has control over what the people see or hear. Unless they have access to foreign news they will have a distorted view of how the rest of the world regards Putin’s actions. Banning Russian football from international competitions would be one small way of getting the message across. By itself it won’t achieve much, but it should be part of a large range of sanctions. Each small sanction helps 

Edited February 26, 2022 by pongo88

[Silvio Dante]

9 minutes ago, City oz said:

Why?. It is Putin that is the issue and not the majority of Russians or there football clubs. My opinion is if the Russian football teams are willing to travel then lets play.

Why should the world wide greatest sport be a pawn in a chess game with an idiot like Putin.

 

With all due respect, this is a touch naive.

Should Russia play international football, and win, it will be spun as a victory for the might of the Russian nation. In effect, by letting them compete, it allows them to release propaganda off the back of it. It would be the same for any Russian based teams in things like the Europa League.

I feel for the players, it isn’t their doing, but you have to not let Russia compete for the above reason.

[Robbored]

17 minutes ago, City oz said:

Why?. It is Putin that is the issue and not the majority of Russians or there football clubs. My opinion is if the Russian football teams are willing to travel then lets play.

Why should the world wide greatest sport be a pawn in a chess game with an idiot like Putin.

 

If Russia are suspended from all sporting events then it’s the Russian people that miss out and that might help for them to rebel against his regime - who knows?       

[PHILINFRANCE]

If there is to be any chance of a revolution from below, i.e. from the people, then yet another sporting frustration after losing the Champions League Final, the Grand Prix and now, potentially, the possibility of competing in the World Cup can only help.

And, for goodness sake, whilst recognising their may be some Russian athletes who don’t use PEDs, let’s bring an end to this farce of letting Russia compete as ROC.

[Malago]

40 minutes ago, HitchinRed said:

I see that Poland has confirmed that it will refuse to play Russia in a World Cup qualifier. 

We all know that FIFA will be weighing up the $s before they consider what action to take, so the question is should England also boycott any match with Russia, even if this means disqualification from the World Cup?

 

The Czech Republic and Sweden,  the winners of whom will now play Russia in the playoff final, are also apparently in talks to agree to refuse to play them as well.

Let’s hope that common sense will prevail and Russia are expelled from the tournament by UEFA who are responsible for running the playoffs.

Edited February 26, 2022 by Malago

[City oz]

6 minutes ago, Silvio Dante said:

With all due respect, this is a touch naive.

Should Russia play international football, and win, it will be spun as a victory for the might of the Russian nation. In effect, by letting them compete, it allows them to release propaganda off the back of it. It would be the same for any Russian based teams in things like the Europa League.

I feel for the players, it isn’t their doing, but you have to not let Russia compete for the above reason.

Not naive. I understand your point though but if the Russian football team want to play in Europe then surely this will be a negative impact on Putin. The issue is Putin and not Russia

[City oz]

3 minutes ago, Robbored said:

If Russia are suspended from all sporting events then it’s the Russian people that miss out and that might help for them to rebel against his regime - who knows?       

They are rebeling  now with over 5,000 arrested today.

[Major Isewater]

32 minutes ago, HitchinRed said:

I see that Poland has confirmed that it will refuse to play Russia in a World Cup qualifier. 

We all know that FIFA will be weighing up the $s before they consider what action to take, so the question is should England also boycott any match with Russia, even if this means disqualification from the World Cup?

 

Absofreakinlutely. Russia is already a plague on sport with it’s organised doping programmes now the madman invades a brother country. How can anybody possibly condone playing a sport with them? 
 

[Robbored]

5 minutes ago, City oz said:

They are rebeling  now with over 5,000 arrested today.

That’s a good start but 5m arrests would make more of an impact.

[Major Isewater]

1 minute ago, Robbored said:

That’s a good start but 5m arrests would make more of an impact.

Those five thousand face fifteen years in prison just for the protest. These people are extremely brave and have no desire to send their sons, husbands or fathers to war to satisfy the megalomaniac in the Kremlin. 
Will Putin risk his life for mother Russia ? 
will he **** as like. 

[Wiltshire robin]

16 minutes ago, City oz said:

They are rebeling  now with over 5,000 arrested today.

That’s nuts , I hope that there comes a point where the police turn on putin as well . Anyone know what’s happening to those being arrested for protesting ?.

[The Batman]

I do hope that clubs don't do anything. It'll just lead down a path that I don't want it to go down. 

We supply weapons to the Saudis who are bombing the hell out of Yemen....

We've bombed the middle east over the last 20 years....

Then you have players who have shown support for Palestine in their own time. They may want to do that on an official basis, then there may be players who show support for Israel.

And still none of them will boycott Qatar. 

Leave it be. 

[RedRock]

The only way this will end is for Putin to be overthrown.

Never agreed with mixing politics and sport. This, however, is an exception. The Russian people are fed a narrative by their Government. The Government can’t ‘spin’ being thrown out of sporting competitions by a united world. This can help build opposition to Putin.

While we too are fed a view of the world by our own Governments and there is corruption throughout the West too (just look at our bunch of wasters with their snouts on the trough) - Putin and his cronies has over-stepped the mark. He could have played this differently. I’m sure there were atrocities against Russian speakers by Ukrainians ‘ultras’ but he could have dealt with that in a way that would have garnered support rather than using his usual ‘go to’ iron fist. All about bravado though with him. 
 

Maybe, just maybe, this could be the end for Putin and all politicians throughout the world - many part of the UK Government - who work in their own interests rather than serve the best interests of humanity. Here’s hoping. 

 

[Davefevs]

56 minutes ago, HitchinRed said:

I see that Poland has confirmed that it will refuse to play Russia in a World Cup qualifier. 

We all know that FIFA will be weighing up the $s before they consider what action to take, so the question is should England also boycott any match with Russia, even if this means disqualification from the World Cup?

 

Yes.

Personally I would’ve pulled out of Qatar WC too.  I also think FIFA is corrupt too, and I’d like to see a general breakaway from them too.

[maxjak]

20 minutes ago, City oz said:

They are rebeling  now with over 5,000 arrested today.

I have tremendous respect for any of the protesting Russian citizens, it is an extremely brave action.  Getting arrested in Russia is not like being arrested in the West, they are putting their lives and futures in jeopardy by standing up to a Fascist Dictator.   I don' t know if i i would have the courage to do the same?        

[Alan Dicks]

I wonder if the players will now take the knee for Ukrainian lives matter?

[exAtyeoMax]

1 hour ago, HitchinRed said:

I see that Poland has confirmed that it will refuse to play Russia in a World Cup qualifier. 

We all know that FIFA will be weighing up the $s before they consider what action to take, so the question is should England also boycott any match with Russia, even if this means disqualification from the World Cup?

 

F up Qatar, yes why not. I know, it won't stop it going ahead but it might spoil their party a bit.

Kill two birds etc.

I don't know what the repercussions with Russia will be obviously but I can't see playing a football match against them at the moment is somehow appropriate

[Sir Leigh of Somerset]

Mike Scott of The Waterboys is one of the finest songwriters around. The current awful situation in The Ukraine just reminded me of this song which is one of his best ones from the early days ('A Pagan Place' - 1984). Quite poignant lyrics really.

The Red Army Blues

The Waterboys

 

Red Army blues :: Waterboys

When I left my home and my family
my mother said to me
"Son, it's not how many Germans you kill that counts
it's how many people you set free"

So I packed my bags
brushed my cap
Walked out into the world
seventeen years old
Never kissed a girl

Took the train to Voronezh
that was as far as it would go
Changed my sacks for a uniform
bit my lip against the snow
I prayed for mother Russia
in the summer of '43
And as we drove the Germans back
I really believed
That God was listening to me

We howled into Berlin
tore the smoking buildings down
Raised the red flag high
burnt the reichstag brown
I saw my first American
and he looked a lot like me
He had the same kinda farmer's face
said he'd come from some place called Hazzard, Tennessee

Then the war was over
my discharge papers came
Me and twenty hundred others
went to Stettiner for the train
Kiev! said the commissar
from there your own way home
But I never got to Kiev
we never came by home
Train went north to the Taiga
we were stripped and marched in file
Up the great siberian road
for miles and miles and miles and miles
Dressed in stripes and tatters
in a gulag left to die
All because Comrade Stalin was scared that
we'd become too westernized!

Used to love my country
used to be so young
Used to believe that life was
the best song ever sung
I would have died for my country
in 1945
But now only one thing remains
but now only one thing remains
But now only one thing remains
but now only one thing remains
The brute will to survive!

[Tin Soldier]

22 minutes ago, RedRock said:

The only way this will end is for Putin to be overthrown.

Never agreed with mixing politics and sport. This, however, is an exception. The Russian people are fed a narrative by their Government. The Government can’t ‘spin’ being thrown out of sporting competitions by a united world. This can help build opposition to Putin.

While we too are fed a view of the world by our own Governments and there is corruption throughout the West too (just look at our bunch of wasters with their snouts on the trough) - Putin and his cronies has over-stepped the mark. He could have played this differently. I’m sure there were atrocities against Russian speakers by Ukrainians ‘ultras’ but he could have dealt with that in a way that would have garnered support rather than using his usual ‘go to’ iron fist. All about bravado though with him. 
 

Maybe, just maybe, this could be the end for Putin and all politicians throughout the world - many part of the UK Government - who work in their own interests rather than serve the best interests of humanity. Here’s hoping. 

 

Agreed. Putin is ex KGB, he is closely entwined with crooks such as Abramavich and many others. If anyone wonders what Putin is all about, Catherine Belton has written a compelling, fact based book called Putins People.
It is brilliant!

[Son of Fred]

1 hour ago, HitchinRed said:

I see that Poland has confirmed that it will refuse to play Russia in a World Cup qualifier. 

We all know that FIFA will be weighing up the $s before they consider what action to take, so the question is should England also boycott any match with Russia, even if this means disqualification from the World Cup?

 

Yes.... no question.

[LondonBristolian]

8 minutes ago, Alan Dicks said:

I wonder if the players will now take the knee for Ukrainian lives matter?

For your attempts to needlessly hijack a thread about how sport responds to a global crisis, purely to score political points, please accept this Golden Shoehorn.

[Alan Dicks]

And one big blahhhhh to that.

[Rocking Red Cyril]

1 hour ago, HitchinRed said:

I see that Poland has confirmed that it will refuse to play Russia in a World Cup qualifier. 

We all know that FIFA will be weighing up the $s before they consider what action to take, so the question is should England also boycott any match with Russia, even if this means disqualification from the World Cup?

 

While Putin wages war annex the country in all its activitys