UEFA
The Russian Football Federation officially protested to UEFA on Tuesday against the shirt ukraine wants to play at the European Championship. The country’s jersey, the first opponent of the Dutch on Sunday, is politically tinged, according to the Russians.
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Ukraine has had a shirt made with a map on it, including the Russia-annexed Crimea peninsula and the pro-Russian-controlled separatist regions of Donetsk and Lugansk. The shirt also shows Ukrainian battle cries.
“Political expressions have no place at a sporting event,” the Russians write in the letter to the European Football Association. “Ukraine does propaganda. If this is allowed, the end is lost.”
Formally, political statements on and around matches are prohibited under UEFA rules. It is no surprise that Russia protest, as the presentation of the shirt via Facebook has previously led to furious Russian reactions. One MP called it “a political provocation.”
The Dutch team starts the European Championship on Sunday against Ukraine (kick-off 9 p.m.). Also with North Macedonia, the last opponent of the Dutch national team in Group C, there was a lot of commotion recently about the European Championship shirt to be worn.
North Macedonia had had new shirts designed at the request of the players, but the burgundy uniform with an image of a lynx was not popular with the supporters. The North Macedonian Football Association therefore asked UEFA whether the players at the European Championship can play in the old shirts again.
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