В УЕФА высказались о невыдаче виз игрокам сборной Беларуси from

UEFA discusses the non-issuance of visas to players of the Belarusian national team

UEFA has stated that it is "extremely concerned" about the non-issuance of visas to players of the Belarusian national team who were due to play in a UEFA Nations League match in Poland on 25 September.

In a statement, UEFA said that it had been "in contact with the Polish Football Association (PZPN) and the Belarusian Football Federation (BFF) to try to resolve the situation".

UEFA added that it "understands the difficult situation that the PZPN is facing, but it believes that the non-issuance of visas to the Belarusian players is a violation of the FIFA Statutes".

The FIFA Statutes state that "each member association shall ensure that its players and officials are able to travel freely and without hindrance to and from the territory of other member associations for the purpose of participating in matches or other football activities".

UEFA said that it "will continue to monitor the situation and will take appropriate action if necessary".

Background

The non-issuance of visas to the Belarusian players is the latest in a series of incidents that have strained relations between UEFA and Belarus.

In 2021, UEFA banned Belarus from hosting international matches after the country's government cracked down on protests following a disputed presidential election.

UEFA also banned Belarusian clubs from competing in its competitions for the 2021-22 season.

Reaction

The non-issuance of visas to the Belarusian players has been met with widespread condemnation from the international football community.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said that he was "deeply concerned" about the situation and called on the PZPN to "resolve the issue as soon as possible".

The BFF said that it was "outraged" by the non-issuance of visas and accused the PZPN of "political discrimination".

Conclusion

The non-issuance of visas to the Belarusian players is a serious issue that could have a significant impact on the future of UEFA competitions.

UEFA is right to be concerned about the situation and it is important that the PZPN takes steps to resolve the issue as soon as possible.