“No additional phrases, time to act! Thanks to the escalation of the aggression of the Russian Federation to Ukraine the Polish countrywide team does not intend to participate in the play-off match in opposition to Russia,” he tweeted.
“We are in talks with (Swedish) and (Czech) federations to bring forward a joint statement to FIFA.”
Poland was because of to journey to Moscow to encounter Russia on Thursday, March 24, when Ukraine was scheduled to vacation to face Scotland on the exact same working day.
The winner of the Poland-Russia activity would host both Sweden or Czech Republic on March 29 in the remaining of their Earth Cup qualification route.
And the Swedish Football Association (SVFF) stated on Saturday its board had made a decision that its men’s nationwide group “will not enjoy a doable playoff match in opposition to Russia — no matter of where by the match is played.
“The Federal Board also urges FIFA to cancel the perform-off matches in March in which Russia participates,” the SVFF assertion included.
“We have a really hard time believing that FIFA will not comply with our call. Russia are unable to sign up for as long as this insanity continues,” the Swedish FA stated.
Bayern Munich superstar and Poland striker Robert Lewandowski echoed Kulesza’s sentiment, indicating: “It is the appropriate decision!
“I are not able to picture enjoying a match with the Russian National Team in a situation when armed aggression in Ukraine carries on,” Lewandowski tweeted. “Russian footballers and admirers are not accountable for this, but we won’t be able to pretend that practically nothing is going on.”
Other users of the Polish squad unveiled joint statements on their social media — a person in Polish and a person in English — agreeing with their football association’s choice.
“It is not an uncomplicated conclusion, but there are more crucial items in daily life than football. Our views are with the Ukrainian nation and our friend from the nationwide group, Tomasz Kedziora, who is even now in Kiev with his family.”
The statement signed off with the hashtags #SolidarnizUkraina (In solidarity with Ukraine) and #NoWarPlease.
Kedziora is a 27-yr-outdated defender who performed for Dynamo Kyiv.
“Dependent on the recent alarming advancement in the conflict in between Russia and Ukraine, such as the protection circumstance, the Football Associations of Poland (PZPN), Sweden (SvFF) and Czech Republic (FAČR) categorical their company posture that the playoff matches to qualify for the 2022 FIFA Entire world Cup in Qatar, scheduled for 24 and 29 March 2022, must not be played in the territory of the Russian Federation,” it mentioned.
“The signatories to this enchantment do not think about traveling to Russia and actively playing football there. The armed service escalation that we are observing entails critical penalties and substantially reduced protection for our countrywide football groups and delegations.
“Consequently, we expect FIFA and UEFA to respond quickly and to current option answers about sites the place these approaching playoff matches could be performed.”
The 2022 remaining was scheduled to be held at Krestovsky Stadium, which is sponsored by Russian state-owned company Gazprom, but will now be moved to the Stade de France in Paris to be performed on the primary day of May well 28.
Somewhere else, some of Russia’s best athletes have been speaking out towards the war in Ukraine.
Planet No. 1 Daniil Medvedev said he is “all for peace” although Andrey Rublev also advocated for peace, producing “No war you should” on the digital camera after a earn. Composing on the lens is a popular observe right after tennis matches.