Andrey Kanchelskis, once a midfielder for Manchester United in the English Premier League, has spoken about the challenges his son faced in securing work in England. He attributed these difficulties to the weight of his own performances for the Russian national team, suggesting that the connections between a football career and career prospects in the host country extend beyond the pitch.
According to Kanchelskis, a number of employers and interviewers conveyed a clear message to his son. They argued that the father’s allegiance to Russia would hinder professional opportunities, regardless of the son’s own skills or qualifications. He noted that although the younger Kanchelskis held British citizenship and was born in England, the surname still carried a stigma tied to his father’s national team history. The elder Kanchelskis emphasized that his own passport indicates he was born in Ukraine, highlighting how personal background and parental legacy can become focal points in employment discussions, sometimes overshadowing individual merit.
From his perspective, the problem stretches beyond a single anecdote. He observed a broader atmosphere in which geography and national origins are sometimes misread or oversimplified by those who focus solely on players’ ancestry. The veteran player argued that there is a pervasive bias toward Russians in certain contexts, suggesting that the current environment may be affecting perceptions and opportunities for people connected to Russia, irrespective of their actual abilities or legal status in a given country.
In a separate development, the International Olympic Committee faced scrutiny after receiving a letter from the British government urging major Olympic sponsors to pressure the IOC to admit athletes from Russia and Belarus to the Paris Games. The IOC responded by underscoring the importance of preserving the autonomy of sport, a principle reiterated in multiple United Nations resolutions and official statements. The organization asserted that Olympic decisions should remain insulated from external political lobbying, emphasizing a commitment to sport’s self-governance and the principle of fair and neutral competition for all athletes who meet the established criteria.
Meanwhile, Vyacheslav Fetisov, a former Olympic ice hockey champion and a deputy in the State Duma, publicly urged accountability for the calls to include athletes from Russia and Belarus. Fetisov argued that sponsors pressing for participation should be weighed against potential repercussions for the integrity of the Games and the broader geopolitical climate. He called for a measured approach that protects the competitive framework and the safety and equality of all athletes, maintaining that political influence should not dictate sport’s entry rules or the standards by which eligibility is determined.