Ukraine Slams FIFA Chief as ‘Morally Bankrupt’

By Staff, Agencies

Ukraine’s foreign minister accused FIFA President Gianni Infantino of “moral degeneracy” after he criticized the ban on Russian athletes.

Infantino told Sky News on Monday that bans and boycotts “don’t bring anything and just contribute to more hatred,” adding that Russians should be allowed to compete “at least at youth level.”

In his response on X, Ukraine’s top diplomat accused Russia of killing civilians. “And it keeps killing more while moral degenerates suggest lifting bans, despite Russia’s failure to end its war,” Sibiga wrote.

Sibiga claimed that future generations would view Infantino’s remarks as shameful and compared his stance to the 1936 Olympics hosted by Nazi Germany.

Russia says its troops only strike military sites in Ukraine and do not target civilians.

Since the 2022 escalation, Russian and Belarusian athletes have been barred from most international competitions, while Ukraine has sanctioned individuals it accuses of backing “aggression and propaganda.”

Some organizations have eased rules, with the International Olympic Committee urging last year that Russian and Belarusian athletes compete in junior events under their national flags and anthems.

Russian officials have rejected the boycotts as a “politicization” of sport. Mikhail Degtyarev, the head of the Russian Olympic Committee, condemned the exclusion of athletes as “political discrimination” and a violation of the Olympic Charter.