Russia suspended from international soccer over Ukraine war

By GRAHAM DUNBAR
AP Sports Writer

GENEVA (AP) — Russian teams have been suspended from all international soccer, including qualifying matches for the 2022 World Cup, as Moscow was pushed toward pariah status in sports for its invasion of Ukraine. World soccer body FIFA and European authority UEFA banned Russian national and club teams from their competitions “until further notice,” taking Russia’s men’s national team out of World Cup qualifying playoffs in three weeks’ time. The high-level punishment involving sports and politics came after the International Olympic Committee pushed dozens of sports governing bodies to exclude Russian athletes and officials from international events. The IOC said this was needed to “protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all the participants.”