Russia’s football exile is ending – but Europe may not survive the comeback

I didn’t watch a single full game of this FIFA World Cup and was asleep before the final kicked off on Sunday. It would have been awkward watching a match wanting both teams to lose. The best things to witness at this jamboree were the mindbending, moral amnesia of the anti-Trump and pro-Palestine mob, and the whining of sports media and pundits at the length of the half-time show. Even Granny grabber Wayne Rooney criticized the performance of a 70-year-old woman [Madonna]. Then again, who’d know better than the man who has a penchant for women twice his age. It was off the field that the best news, for many, came and it opened a way for Russian football to come in from the cold.

Background

Russian football had been under the US- and UK-led pogrom against Russian sports since 2010. Triggered by receiving the hosting rights for the FIFA 2018 World Cup, Russia got caught in the battle for control of the lucrative anti-doping industry. After a series of major doping scandals on their watch and their federal funding under threat, the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) battled the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), using Russia as a convenient, and deserving, whipping boy.

From December 9, 2019, Russian national teams were not allowed to display the flag and badge in competition by WADA decree. Russian football fans were generally accepting and then the conflict in Ukraine escalated. I was live on air that night with Capital Sports and we were first to break the news of the UEFA and FIFA agreement with the Russian Football Union (RFU). I supported the freeze then and still do now. It was the safest thing to do and given the total lack of respect towards human life shown by Ukraine in recent months, as well as their US and European backers. I still err on the side of caution. Football stadia are too wide open for terror attacks, however, FIFA are for turning.