Former president of Spartak Moscow Andrei Chervichenko criticized UEFA’s move to cancel the admission of Russian youth teams, specifically the U-17 group, to international tournaments. He discussed his view in an interview with Match TV and laid his thoughts bare about the situation.
Chervichenko described the situation with blunt color, saying that the spectacle would be more entertaining if it were a circus. He suggested that on paper the scenario might still look possible, but in practice under the current conditions it could not happen. He added that there could be a belief that some behind the scenes maneuvering was at play, and he didn’t mince words about the people involved. His verdict for the moment was that many people are acting without clear judgment, and this should come as no surprise to observers.
The decision he views as problematic is not a minor one. He asserted that the process of deciding on participation has never felt genuine to him in its current form. He criticized the approach as bait, through which some stakeholders attempted to test reactions. He argued that various regional considerations, including attitudes from Baltic and northern European countries, have outweighed pragmatic sense in the outcome. The sense of fairness, in his view, has been compromised by hidden incentives and conflicting interests. This line of critique was conveyed in his interview with Match TV and has since circulated among fans and pundits alike. [Citation: Match TV]
On September 26, there was a notable development as the UEFA Executive Committee proposed allowing Russian youth teams to participate in tournaments under neutral status. This proposal sparked a wave of responses from different nations. Countries such as England and Ukraine publicly announced plans to boycott matches involving Russian teams should the neutral status be applied. The stance reflected broader tensions in European football and the varied interpretations of fairness and competitive integrity in youth competitions. [Citation: UEFA communications]
Then on October 10, UEFA stated that the decision on admitting Russian under-17 teams to international competitions had been canceled. The matter was removed from the agenda of the board meeting, ending the immediate discussion for the time being. The reversal prompted a mix of explanations from officials and reactions from clubs and federations across the region. Critics argued that inconsistency in policy undermines trust, while supporters emphasized the desire to keep political issues from interfering with sport. [Citation: UEFA announcements]
Looking ahead, voices from the coaching community and sports administration speculate about when Russian squads might again participate on the international stage. The ongoing dialogue highlights how political and sporting domains intersect in youth development, and it raises questions about the pathways for Russian teams to re-engage with global competition. The topic remains a focal point in discussions about the governance of football across Europe and the evolving standards used to govern international youth events. [Citation: coaching press circles]