kipmwenyew
Lister
UEFA faced calls from the British government to strip Russia of hosting the Champions League final over concerns it would legitimize what it called an “illegal invasion” of Ukraine, prompting European football’s governing body to say Tuesday it would reconsider St. Petersburg staging the showpiece match.
The biggest game in the European season is scheduled May 28 at the Gazprom Arena, which is named after the state-owned energy giant that has sponsored the men’s competition for a decade.
Gazprom is also embedded in the decision-making at UEFA, with Alexander Dyukov, the chief executive of an oil subsidiary company, sitting on UEFA’s ruling executive committee.
UEFA has acknowledged for the first time a risk to Russia staging the final following talks among the senior leadership about the crisis.
“UEFA is constantly and closely monitoring the situation,” the Champions League organizer said in a statement, “and any decision would be made in due course if necessary.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson highlighted concerns about Russia using sports to enhance its status while urging President Vladimir Putin not to carry out a full invasion of Ukraine after massing an estimated 150,000 troops on three sides of neighboring Ukraine.
