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Sweden join Poles in boycotting Russia in World Cup play-offs: Federation

Sweden will not play Russia in the 2022 World Cup play-offs because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the football federation said on Saturday.

Published: 26 February 2022 19:26 CET
Sweden's midfielder Albin Ekdal reacts during football match
Sweden's midfielder Albin Ekdal reacts during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualification group B football match between Spain and Sweden, at La Cartuja Stadium in Seville, on November 14th, 2021. (Photo by JORGE GUERRERO / AFP)

Sweden would have to beat the Czech Republic and Russia overcome Poland for them to face each other on March 29th in Russia.

“Whatever Fifa decide, we will not play against Russia in March,” Karl-Erik Nilsson, president of the federation said in a statement.

Earlier on Saturday, the Poles said they would not play the Russians in Moscow — which hosted the World Cup final only four years ago — on March 24th for the same reason.

The Polish and Swedish federations had issued a statement along with the Czechs on Thursday — the day the invasion began — demanding FIFA play the matches away from Russia.

Fifa did not react to the latest Polish move on Saturday when approached by AFP.

On Thursday, Fifa president Gianni Infantino had said they hoped the “situation (The conflict between Ukraine and Russia) will be resolved by then” but they could take a decision at “any moment.”

In a separate development, the Swedish government said they were going to try and persuade the other 27 European Union states to impose a blanket sporting ban on Russia for “as long as the invasion of Ukraine lasts”.

“The most important thing is that the Russian aggression ceases,” said Swedish Sports Minister Anders Ygeman in a statement.

“If the EU decides on a sporting boycott, that will help achieve this target.”

The Swedes are proposing a boycott of all competitions being hosted in Russia and further that no Russian athlete can compete in the European Union.

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SWEDEN AND RUSSIA

Sweden says Russian bomber violated its airspace

A Russian SU-24 bomber violated Swedish airspace near the strategic Baltic Sea island of Gotland, leaving only after Sweden scrambled two JAS-39 fighter jets, Sweden's military said on Saturday.

Published: 15 June 2024 12:56 CEST
Sweden says Russian bomber violated its airspace

The incident on Friday occurred three months after the Scandinavian country became a full member of NATO, dropping two centuries of military non-alliance.

“On Friday afternoon, a Russian SU-24 jet fighter violated Swedish airspace east of Gotland’s southern tip. The Swedish air combat command warned the Russian aircraft with a verbal call,” the Swedish armed forces said.

“When this was not heeded and the aircraft did not deviate from its route, it was dismissed from Swedish airspace by two JAS-39 Gripens,” it said.

The violation was “brief”, the military said.

“The Russian actions are not acceptable and demonstrate a lack of respect for our territorial integrity,” the head of Sweden’s air force, Jonas Wikman, said.

Gotland is located fewer than 350 kilometres (217 miles) from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.

Swedish military doctrine holds that whoever controls Gotland is able to broadly control air and naval movements in the Baltic Sea.

Sweden reopened its garrison on Gotland in 2018 after years of slashed military spending saw it close in 2004.

Russia’s unilateral annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014 had prompted Sweden to start beefing up its military again.

Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 then led to Sweden’s historic decision to join the NATO military alliance.

The last time Russia violated Swedish airspace was in March 2022, when Swedish fighters intercepted two Su-24 and two Su-27 fighter jets over Gotland.

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