"With the example of Israel, we see the double standard in sport"

Russian national and club soccer teams have not participated in international competitions for almost three years. The Russian Football Union (RFU) has repeatedly said that it maintains relations with FIFA and UEFA, the organizations that govern world and European soccer. In an interview with Izvestia, Alexei Sorokin, advisor to the RFU president, who used to be a member of the FIFA council and head of the organizing committee for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, assessed the chances of our soccer returning to the international arena in the coming year, explained why the topic of Russian teams moving from Europe to Asia has lost relevance so far, and also noted UEFA's double standards with regard to Russia and Israel.

- Did you follow in detail Donald Trump's January speeches about Canada as the "51st state of the United States" and the possible annexation of Greenland to the U.S.?

- In as much detail as it appeared in the news. I don't have any insider knowledge on that (laughs).

- If these words are followed by actions in the form of U.S. military operations in Canada and Greenland, what are the chances that FIFA and CONCACAF will suspend U.S. teams from all competitions under their auspices, and the country itself will be stripped of the right to host the 2026 World Cup?

- As a former member of the FIFA Council, I am not allowed to discuss this topic ethically. Moreover, I do not know what to answer here. It is necessary to get to this problem and then solve it or discuss it. It seems to me that the statements you mentioned are so large-scale that their realization in the near future is unlikely. Doesn't FIFA have other problems right now?

- I mean, you know a lot of the officials there. I wonder if they can even reason in such categories if the major Western countries do the same thing they accuse Russia of doing.

- I don't know. Maybe they can. Maybe they can't. It's like that anecdote where they estimate the possibility of meeting a unicorn or a dinosaur: 50% that it's possible and 50% that it's impossible. It is hard to say when there are no facts of their actions or inactions in the alleged situation. We can only judge now by the example of Israel. In the context of Israel, we can observe a double standard in sport. Israel has gotten away with everything it has done, while for some reason we have found ourselves in isolation. There is such a tangle of relationships and contradictions here that it is impossible to describe everything in two words.

- In terms of double standards in the case of Israel, do you mean the November incident in Amsterdam with the attack on Israeli fans on the day of the Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi? Officially, UEFA argues that the ban on Russia includes the inability to ensure the safety of our teams and fans when they visit European countries.

- When a country hosts delegations from other countries, including soccer teams, it is obliged to ensure their safety. This is a natural obligation of every host country. Here we are simply talking about the realization of our own obligations. We in Russia have never had any problems with ensuring the safety of visiting teams and their fans. Everything went off without a single incident.

- Do you admit that if one of the Russian teams comes to play in Europe in the next few years, what happened to the Israeli fans in Amsterdam could happen again?

- I don't think it will happen. Of course, things happen in isolated cases, but at the systemic level of domestic Russophobia it is hard to expect it.

- When did you last communicate with representatives of FIFA, UEFA and European national soccer federations?

- At the anniversary of the Bulgarian Football Union. It was in December in Sofia.

- Did you discuss with them their position on the ban on Russia? Any sense that they are changing their attitude to a less negative one against us?

- I am an optimist. I believe that something positive should happen in soccer and sports in general this year. I think that many sports federations are fed up with the current situation, and now they will start looking for some solutions in our favor. This is my personal feeling - I cannot explain it rationally at the moment.

- Do you suppose that in 2025 at least one Russian team, for example, the junior national team, will play an official international match?

- I admit that this year the dialog will continue and will lead to some results. Especially with regard to the juniors. In general, we believe that Russia's position is justified. And it makes no sense to lose a whole generation because of someone's political ambitions, views, because someone is friends with someone else. We see that many people share this position.

- Can you say how many federations and FIFA and UEFA officials share it?

- We can't accurately calculate the percentage of those who support us and those who don't. But there are feelings that give reason for cautious optimism. I cannot say specifically, because I am talking about my personal feelings. They are not a fact yet. We will be able to talk about facts when our teams are officially allowed to compete.

- But how many countries are ready to support our return?

- I think that more than 50% of national federations will not prevent it. This is my personal opinion, we can argue with it. It's just that the question is not even brought up for a vote, because there are several national federations that openly tell us that they are banned by their governments. I can't be specific about which countries this happens in, but such explanations were given to us. Apparently, the UEFA management cannot do anything about it now. So the issue here is complex and non-linear.

- Why then FIFA and UEFA have been saying for many years that state bodies should not interfere in the affairs of national soccer federations, which are public organizations?

- I am asking the same question.

- Is there a punishment procedure for such interference?

- Procedurally, you can challenge anything, but there are decisions of the UEFA collegiate bodies. It is very difficult to do anything about it. You can only continue to state your position and your arguments. But there is a decision, and so far it is very difficult to do anything about it.

- Recently, the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) was headed by Mikhail Degtyarev, the Minister of Sports of the Russian Federation. Can this be interpreted as government interference in the affairs of public sports organizations? It is clear that this is more a question for the International Olympic Committee (IOC), but can FIFA and UEFA use this fact to further hinder the return of Russian teams to their competitions?

- For FIFA and UEFA, the fact of such overlapping of positions is not a priority in decision-making. I don't think they can consider it as our advantage or disadvantage. It is good if they are informed about it at all.

- When Vitaly Mutko combined the posts of Sports Minister and Deputy Prime Minister with his work as RFU President, did FIFA and UEFA never raise any questions?

- No. This is not prohibited by any documents, any charters of any international sports federation, including the International Olympic Committee. Here we have always acted within the law. Interference is when there is a fact that a national soccer federation follows direct instructions from the state authorities of its country. FIFA has always opposed this. There have been several cases where national soccer federations have been suspended from FIFA for this. For example, in Pakistan. But that didn't happen because they had a sitting government official in their leadership.

- You were one of those who spoke without negativity about the option of the RFU transition from UEFA to the Asian Football Confederation, when it was actively discussed in 2022. Can we now say that this topic is closed?

- As of December 2024, yes. What will happen in December 2025, I don't know.

- Why did the topic go off the agenda?

- Perhaps because we still see an invisible positive in the possibility of returning to European competitions. And we should also take into account that we are part of Europe. In every sense, for example, culturally. Moving to Asia would be a very radical step. Probably, we should not take it as long as there is a chance to return to European competitions, and the chance is significant.