"We will be on our territory": Zakharova accuses UEFA of "destroying football in Russia" and demands "principles of equality"

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has accused the European Football Union (UEFA) of discrimination after the Russian national team was banned from the new Nations League draw. The representative of the terrorist state and an accomplice of Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin called this decision a violation of the principles of equality.

Zakharova said this in a commentary to the propaganda news agency RIA Novosti. The official emphasized that UEFA allegedly contributes to the collapse of Russian football. It is worth noting that coach Yevgeny Kaleshin recently complained about the systematic destruction of sports, education and the army in the aggressor country.

"The early exclusion of our country from the qualifying tournaments is evidence that sports officials, instead of fulfilling their direct responsibilities, which are to develop football, are aiming to destroy the sport in our country. Russia, on the contrary, stands for the development of international sports cooperation, taking into account the principles of equality, non-discrimination, and ensuring equal access to sports competitions for all countries without exception. Despite external pressure, we will continue to organize and participate in major sports competitions and events on our territory," Zakharova said.

Earlier, honorary president of the Russian Football Union (RFU) Vyacheslav Koloskov complained that UEFA "does not punish Ukraine and Israel" where wars are going on. And the State Duma called the decision to bar the national team from the League of Nations cannibalistic.

As OBOZ.UA previously reported, former Russian national team player Andrei Kanchelskis expressed confidence that teams from Russia would not participate in international tournaments for another 10 years.

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