As Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine continues, numerous international sports leagues and organizations have suspended Russia from international competitions \u2014 a move that could wreak havoc on the country\u2019s athletic capabilities for decades. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSport can serve as a very powerful political tool,\u201d said Jason Bocarro<\/a>, a professor of parks, recreation and tourism management at NC State. \u201cWhile Putin seems like a headstrong character who\u2019s going to move forward with his plans no matter what happens, these suspensions will create social and economic pressure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n On February 28, the International Olympic Committee\u2019s executive board recommended the ban of Russian athletes and officials<\/a>. Russia has since been suspended from competing in soccer, basketball, figure skating, among many other sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bocarro, who studies equity and human rights issues in sport and recreation, said Russia\u2019s suspension from international soccer could prove especially disruptive for the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n FIFA and UEFA, soccer\u2019s largest and most influential governing bodies, recently banned all Russian club and national teams<\/a> from international competition, including the upcoming qualifying games for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, UEFA relocated the Champions League final<\/a> from St. Petersburg in Russia to France and ended its sponsorship agreement with Russian energy giant Gazprom. The agreement was worth a reported $50 million a year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRussian teams can\u2019t play in the Champions League or Europa League because of the bans,\u201d Bocarro said. \u201cThat\u2019s going to have a significant financial cost because playing in these global events brings tremendous television revenue and global exposure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The UEFA ban affects all 16 teams in the Russian Premier League, including Spartak Moscow. The team had been in the last 16 of the Europa League, with an upcoming match against RB Leipzig of Germany to advance to the quarterfinal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Going forward, the Russian Premier League will likely face challenges in recruiting and retaining top players from other countries as a result of the bans, potentially causing teams to experience eroding fan support and ticket sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n FIFA, in coordination with UEFA, recently announced<\/a> that foreign players and coaches contracted by Russian teams can suspend their contracts and sign with new teams through the end of the European season in June.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRussian teams aren\u2019t allowed to compete internationally so a lot of players aren\u2019t going to want to play in the league,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s the same for basketball, hockey and other sports with vibrant leagues. It will have a huge financial impact domestically.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Russian Football Union and the Russian Ministry of Sport recently filed appeals in the Court of Arbitration for Sport in an effort to reverse the suspensions from FIFA, UEFA and other international sport organizations and leagues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, despite these appeals, the suspensions will likely generate long-term impacts on athletic development within Russia, according to Bocarro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf players aren\u2019t competing against the best and teams don\u2019t have the money to support youth athletic development at the grassroots level, it can take years and decades to recover from that,\u201d he said. \u201cYou can\u2019t just produce elite athletes overnight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bocarro added that the suspensions not only impact Russia\u2019s athletic capabilities but also raise questions about the apolitical nature of international sporting events. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The International Olympic Committee and FIFA have long avoided excluding countries from competition due to their ethical or political values. In 1938, for example, Nazi Germany was allowed to participate in the World Cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt will be really interesting to see how FIFA and other organizations move forward when considering suspensions,\u201d Bocarro said. \u201cHow do you determine which countries can participate based on human rights, particularly when countries have different values and interpretations as to what constitutes an infringement on human rights?\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":"\n\n\n\n\n As Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine continues, numerous international sports leagues and organizations have suspended Russia from international competitions \u2014 a move that could wreak havoc on the country\u2019s athletic capabilities for decades. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSport can serve as a very powerful political tool,\u201d said Jason Bocarro<\/a>, a professor of parks, recreation and tourism management at NC State. \u201cWhile Putin seems like a headstrong character who\u2019s going to move forward with his plans no matter what happens, these suspensions will create social and economic pressure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n On February 28, the International Olympic Committee\u2019s executive board recommended the ban of Russian athletes and officials<\/a>. Russia has since been suspended from competing in soccer, basketball, figure skating, among many other sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bocarro, who studies equity and human rights issues in sport and recreation, said Russia\u2019s suspension from international soccer could prove especially disruptive for the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n FIFA and UEFA, soccer\u2019s largest and most influential governing bodies, recently banned all Russian club and national teams<\/a> from international competition, including the upcoming qualifying games for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n