Dansk fodbold og DBU’s bestyrelse står samlet i opbakningen til at udelukke Rusland fra UEFA’s turneringer og international fodbold.

Det fastslår DBU’s bestyrelse, der på dagens ordinære bestyrelsesmøde fik en status på det internationale område, heriblandt de seneste beslutninger fra UEFA’s eksekutivkomité (ExCo). 

I sidste uge vedtog UEFA ExCo at skærpe udelukkelsen af Rusland fra alle europæiske klub- og landsholdsturneringer, indtil krigshandlinger er ophørt, samt at overholde FN’s børnekonvention ved at åbne for, at russiske børn (U17) kan stille op i UEFA’s turneringer under en række betingelser, der ikke er præsenteret af UEFA endnu.

”Vi har haft en god drøftelse om en svær og kompliceret situation. Vi vil godt understrege, at DBU’s holdning er uændret: Vi støtter skærpede sanktioner mod Rusland i alle sportslige sammenhænge, fordi Rusland bryder internationale regler og lovgivning. Vi tager kraftigt afstand fra Ruslands invasion af Ukraine og overgreb på det ukrainske folk,” lyder det i en fælles udtalelse fra DBU’s bestyrelse:

”Vi ønsker ikke, at danske landshold skal spille landskamp mod Rusland, og vi ønsker ikke, at danske børn skal spille mod russiske børn. Vi bakker op om regeringens politik og skærpede sanktioner mod Rusland. Vi vil ikke støtte et beslutningsoplæg fra UEFA om justerede regler, der muliggør deltagelse af russiske U17-hold,” lyder det fra DBU’s bestyrelse.

UEFA ExCo bad i sidste uge UEFA’s administration udarbejde turneringsregler og retningslinjer for, hvordan russiske børn kan stille op under neutralt flag og farver. Ifølge UEFA’s regler skal de nye turneringsregler og retningslinjer formelt godkendes af UEFA ExCo i en afstemning på et ekstraordinært møde på tirsdag.

DBU’s bestyrelse har givet formand Jesper Møller entydig opbakning til at stemme nej ved afstemningen om turneringsreglerne for U17-landshold.

DBU’s bestyrelse har samtidigt drøftet hele forløbet omkring beslutningen i UEFA ExCo og i særdeleshed den manglende åbenhed i UEFA-systemet. Punktet om sanktioner og mulig deltagelse af russisk U17-landshold var underlagt tavshedsklausul. Samtidigt kritiserer DBU’s bestyrelse, at FIFA uden varsel har truffet samme beslutning om at lade russiske U17-landshold stille op i FIFA’s turneringer.

Processen og indholdet i begge forløb er uhensigtsmæssige, mener DBU’s bestyrelse:

”De skærpede sanktioner og særligt åbning for russiske U17-landshold er så vigtige og principielle spørgsmål, at det skal drøftes åbent og transparent. Vi har brug for fortsat større åbenhed i beslutningerne i både UEFA og FIFA. Samtidig er det dybt kritisabelt, at der stadig kan være russisk repræsentation i UEFA’s ExCo,” lyder det fra DBU’s bestyrelse.

Læs mere herunder:

Udtalelse fra DBU's formand
Fodboldens verden står sammen med Ukraine

English version

DBU takes a tougher stance against Russia

Danish national teams will not play against Russia, and Danish children will not play against Russian children. This is emphasized by the DBU board after today’s board meeting. Danish football will not support UEFA's decision to allow Russian children to participate in European tournaments.

Danish football and the DBU board stand united in supporting the exclusion of Russia from UEFA's tournaments and international football. The DBU board reaffirms this stance, having received an update on the international situation during today's regular board meeting, including the latest decisions from UEFA's Executive Committee (ExCo). Last week, UEFA ExCo passed a resolution to further intensify Russia's exclusion from all European club and national team tournaments until the war is over and peace is restored. Additionally, UEFA aims to comply with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child by allowing Russian children (U17) to participate in UEFA's tournaments under certain conditions that have not yet been presented by UEFA.

"We have had a productive discussion about a challenging and complex situation. We want to emphasize that the DBU's position remains unchanged: we support stricter sanctions against Russia in all sporting contexts because Russia is violating international rules and legislation. We strongly condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine and its aggression against the Ukrainian people," states a joint statement from the board:

"We do not want Danish national teams to play international matches against Russia, and we do not want Danish children to compete against Russian children. We support the government's policy and stricter sanctions against Russia. We will not support a proposal from UEFA to amend the rules that would enable the participation of Russian U17 teams," the board adds.

Last week, UEFA ExCo requested that UEFA's administration develop tournament rules and guidelines for how Russian children can compete under a neutral flag and colors. According to UEFA's rules, the new tournament rules and guidelines must be formally approved by UEFA ExCo at an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday nest week.

The DBU board has given Chairman Jesper Møller full support to vote against the tournament rules for U17 national teams. The board has also discussed the entire process surrounding the decision within UEFA ExCo, particularly the lack of transparency in the UEFA system. The matter of sanctions and the possible participation of Russian U17 national teams was subject to a confidentiality clause. Additionally, the board criticizes FIFA for making the same decision to allow Russian U17 national teams to participate in FIFA tournaments without prior notice.

The process and content of both developments are considered unsatisfactory concludes the board:

"The stricter sanctions and, in particular, the opening for Russian U17 national teams, are such important and fundamental issues that they should be discussed openly and transparently. We need greater transparency in the decision-making processes of both UEFA and FIFA. Furthermore, it is deeply questionable that there can still be Russian representation in UEFA's ExCo," states the DBU board.