Exile Russia from the Sporting World: No More Room for Excuses

The game of football has the potential to take a brave stance against the cruelty of tyranny, as demonstrated by Schalke’s recent decision to remove Gazprom’s logo from their shirts. While some may dismiss it as a mere PR stunt, it is a decision that holds significant risk for a club that was relegated from the Bundesliga’s top division last season.

Schalke has set an example that the sporting world should follow. This means implementing a complete ban on Russian athletes participating in the upcoming Paralympics, just as it was done in retaliation for their state-sponsored doping scheme at the Rio games six years ago. Furthermore, Poland, which is directly threatened by Putin’s actions in Eastern Europe, should be granted an automatic bye in the World Cup play-offs, as they rightfully refuse to play Russia in Moscow.

Additionally, all major international sports events scheduled to take place in Russia this year, such as the grand prix in Sochi or the world short-course swimming championships in Kazan, should be boycotted as long as Putin continues to violate the sovereignty of neighboring nations. SportAccord, the world’s largest sports industry gathering, set to take place in Ekaterinburg in May, should also be scrapped.

Unfortunately, it seems unlikely that any of these actions will be taken. Formula One, for instance, appears unconcerned about the source of its funding, as evident from Haas securing a title sponsorship deal with Uralkali, a leading Russian fertiliser producer. The sensitivity of this matter is apparent, considering that Guenther Steiner, the team principal, was hastily removed from a press conference in Barcelona to avoid questions regarding these financial ties. Haas’ close association with Uralkali even extends to their driver’s seat being occupied by Nikita Mazepin, a 20-year-old driver who has gained notoriety for his crashes and is now often referred to as “Maze-spin”, solely because he is the son of chairman Dmitry.