Russia set to integrate Crimean Premier League clubs despite UEFA cross-border ban

By Andrew Brown

October 13 – Russia moves to incorporate the Crimean Football Union (CFU) and its eight Premier League clubs into the Russian national football league, a move banned by UEFA.

European football's governing body banned Crimean clubs from participating in competitions organized by the Russian Football Union (RFS) after Russia annexed the region in 2014. A Crimean spokesperson 'UEFA told Insideworldfootball that its position remains unchanged.

But the management of the RFS and the CFU does not listen to UEFA.

On October 3, the Russian State Duma Committee on Physical Culture and Sports announced that the integration of the eight clubs had begun. In a videoconference on October 6, CFU President Sergey Borodkin told the Russian Football League (FNL) that all eight Premier League clubs were ready to join the FNL and meet its criteria.

Borodkin is also a member of the United Russia political party and a deputy of the State Council of the Republic of Crimea, which is not recognized by Ukraine. The Council of State is headed by party colleague Vladimir Konstantinov, and both support Russia's "special operation" in - or invasion of - Ukraine.

An FNL task force was due to arrive in Crimea this week to assess the eight CFU clubs, but was delayed by the attack on the Kerch Bridge, which connects Crimea to Russia. The CFU and its eight Premier League clubs have not responded to repeated questions from InsideworldFfootball about whether they want to join the Russian football league.

It appears publicly that all eight clubs, all of which own Russian internet domains, support the projects.

Since UEFA's decision in 2014, the CFU has operated as a UEFA-designated "special zone". His clubs have no access to UEFA competitions and no prospect of competition outside of their seven rivals. In 2017, UEFA provided €1m in funding to the CFU, perhaps in recognition of the stagnant situation.

"Today football in Crimea simply exists and does not develop," Valery Chaley, CEO of FC Sevastopol, told local media in September.

"Our best teams, in terms of infrastructure and quality of football, do not differ from those of the [Russian second division]. Only RFS can help you. Whoever plays, it all makes no sense . Without professional competitions, there is no key development of youth sports and football in general. We play for no reason."

"Our league is sometimes referred to by players as 'football in its own right'," read a September 9 statement from FC Kyzyltash. "Let's talk about the risk of staying in a game where it's familiar and safe to be. At the same level, with the same preparation, with the same degree of self-demand and with the same degree of motivation.”

Sergey Gardok, president of FC Yalta Rubin, told Sport Express that the arrival of the FNL task force is an "exceptionally positive" development. “In our case, we understand where we need to work and we do that work,” he continued.

As outlined in its 2014 statement, UEFA's position is that a club's participation in a foreign league must comply with its Statutes. “A member association, or its affiliated leagues and clubs, may not play or organize matches outside its own territory without the permission of the member associations concerned,” reads article 51.2.

UEFA declined to comment further when asked if this meant the Ukrainian Football Association (UAF) would have to give its approval for the integration of the eight CFU Premier League clubs into the Premier League. Russian football, given the "special status" of the UFC. The Ukrainian Football Association (UAF) did not respond to questions about the situation.

For now, at least, it looks like Crimea's eight Premier League football clubs remain in limbo.

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