ROME. The Italian national football team will not play the match against Russia scheduled for next October, presumably in St. Petersburg, in the qualifying phase for the 2023 European Championships, where the Azzurri would be called to defend the title they won last November.
Considering the very serious international situation in progress, the Fidaf (Italian federation of American football) – reads a note – “has awaited an official decision by the International Federation, Ifaf, regarding the exclusion or not of Russia from the next competitions international, a decision that has not yet arrived. Other national and international federations have already suspended or canceled events of the same level that had Russia as an opponent ».
Among the first international bodies to take a position, the IOC, which on March 4 prevented Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in the Paralympics, due to the outbreak of the war between Russia and Ukraine, a conflict that effectively violated the Olympic truce, of millennial institution, which bans every war from one week before the Olympics to one after the next Paralympics. Fidaf “works for sport as a vehicle for peace, and is aware that athletes have no role in the ongoing war and that they do not weigh on the geopolitical chessboard. Our Federation at the same time expresses sadness for the war events in progress and condolences for the victims of so much violence ».
«Fidaf observes current events with attention and concern – commented the president, Leoluca Orlando – listens to the recommendations of the IOC and Coni, and the concerns of its athletes and staff directly involved. To date, we have no guarantee as to the possibility of playing the match against Russia and we must also take into account the fact that a transfer of this type, currently, also remains out of the question in terms of organization, and this beyond any relevant implication. emotional and ethical question “. Fidaf, therefore, aligns itself with the thought and actions of most of the Italian and international sports federations, taking a position widely shared by the Italian athletes themselves, trusting that the decision that belongs to the International Federation will intervene as soon as possible.