Stefan Malan, a player for the rugby club VVA-Podmoskovye, spoke ahead of a prominent match in the Prince Obolensky Cup against the Russian Barbarias, a team composed of legionnaires competing in the domestic league. He stressed that there would be no obstacles on the field when facing the Russian side. His statements were reported by socialbites.ca.
According to Malan, there was no pressure coming from foreign organizations ahead of the showdown. He underscored a simple philosophy: sports transcends politics. He called it a great honor to compete against the Russian team and expressed genuine enthusiasm for the contest, noting there was nothing intimidating about the encounter. He added that sports and politics should stay apart and that distractions should not be heeded.
The forthcoming match between the Russian national team and the Russian Barbarias was scheduled for October 21 in Samara, taking place at the Solidarity Samara Arena as part of a larger event known as the Great Rugby festival along the Volga. The opening whistle was set to sound at 11:00 Moscow time, signaling the start of a day filled with rugby action.
There has been prior commentary from officials within the Russian Rugby Federation regarding the global governance body World Rugby and its decisions, which have sparked ongoing discussions about bans and their implications for the sport.