The president of Akhmat football club, Magomed Daudov, challenged UEFA’s recent stance on Crimean clubs joining the Russian Football Union (RFU). He described UEFA’s statement as profoundly misguided and pointed to what he sees as a long history of politicizing sport. Daudov argued that international organizations have interfered in Russian football by suspending athletes from competition and by linking sport to political issues. He asserted that, after such measures, listening to UEFA would be inappropriate and unnecessary. His stance was reported by Sports24, highlighting a call for a different approach to Crimea-based clubs within Russia.
Daudov emphasized the need for Crimean clubs to be integrated into Russian football as swiftly as possible. He suggested practical steps to strengthen domestic competition and to ensure the clubs from Crimea can participate within the RFU framework without delays. This viewpoint aligns with a broader desire to resolve ongoing questions about regional teams and their competitive alignment within Russia’s football structure.
At present, teams from Crimea and Sevastopol compete in the Crimean Premier League, which operates under the Crimean Football Union. A parallel situation has emerged in Abkhazia, where representatives of a local club were considered for participation in the Russian Second Division in the forthcoming season. In response, Russia’s Ministry of Sports has discussed the possibility of creating a unified league that would encompass clubs from Crimea as well as those in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Such a development would aim to consolidate regional football activity into a single, coherent competition pathway within the RFU system.
Earlier this year, on May 2, UEFA announced its decision to exclude the Russian national team from the League of Nations and to prevent Russian clubs from entering European competitions for the 2022/23 season. The decision drew widespread attention and prompted various responses from national bodies, clubs, and supporters who were watching how the Russian football landscape would evolve in response to the international sanctions and the broader geopolitical context.
Historically, Vyacheslav Koloskov has called for a meeting with UEFA to discuss the acceptance of Crimean clubs into Russian football. The ongoing conversations reflect larger questions about how regional affiliations, governance structures, and international participation intersect in the management of football in and around Russia. Observers note that any changes would need to balance competitive integrity, regional representation, and the evolving regulatory environment shaped by international sports bodies.
As the football community continues to reassess the status of Crimean teams, multiple stakeholders are weighing options for maintaining momentum within domestic competitions while navigating the implications of international governance. The overarching goal for many involved remains clear: to ensure that Crimean clubs can compete at a high level within the RFU while upholding the principles of fair play, governance, and regional development that underpin the sport across Russia and its neighboring regions. The dialogue surrounding these issues is likely to influence both policy decisions and the competitive configuration of Russian football in the near term.