Former president of Lokomotiv Moscow and Torpedo Moscow Ilya Gerkus called the decision of the European Football Union (UEFA) to allow Russian youth teams to participate in its tournaments without a flag and anthem humiliating. The official added that even "the Germans, who built concentration camps and killed millions of people there, were not banned from using symbols."

Gercus wrote about this on his Telegram channel. He noted that Germany was allowed to perform with its coat of arms, flag, and anthem after the 1939-1945 war. At the same time, the representative of the aggressor country forgot to clarify that the Russian army continues to kill civilian Ukrainians and its soldiers, and, in addition, the Germans were not allowed to participate in the World Cup 50 qualifying tournament as punishment for the horrific crimes of the Nazis and later did not perform with the symbols of the Hitler regime.

"I don't recall any cases when national teams took their coat of arms off their shirts. Even the Germans played with their eagle on their chest after the war. The Germans, who built concentration camps and killed millions of people there, were not forbidden to use their symbols. We, on the other hand, are being asked to remove our coat of arms and abandon the flag. Even children have to do it. Will the Russian national team remain the Russian national team after they take off their shirts? I doubt it. Why are they doing this? Perhaps they want to show that they can do whatever they want with us. There are no laws or rules," Gercus said.

The English Football Association staged a riot over the admission of Russian youths to UEFA tournaments, refusing to play with teams from Russia.

As OBOZREVATEL previously reported, Ukraine has condemned UEFA's decision to start the procedure for the return of Russian teams to its tournaments.

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