Ban from UEFA? Crimean clubs start in Russian soccer championship

Yalta's Rubin and Sevastopol played their first official matches in the Russian championship. The clubs from the temporarily occupied Crimea kicked off the first season of Division B of the Second League with matches against Biolog-Novokubansk (1:1) and SKA Rostov (3:1) respectively. This is the fourth strongest soccer league of the Russian Federation.

At the first stage they will play 12 matches each against Russian teams and try to get into the top three, which will give them the right to continue the fight for promotion.

The Russian Football Union (RFU) made a reform of its soccer championships specifically for the Crimeans. The main task of the Russian officials was to "sit on two chairs": not to get banned by UEFA, but at the same time to allow Crimean teams that are "Russian".

According to the regulations of the tournament, Division B is amateur, which formally does not violate the UEFA ban, but at the same time it is in the unified system of professional leagues with promotion. And this point already entails sanctions.

It is also unknown how UEFA officials will react to the "amateur status" of a league with professional contracts.

Earlier, the European Football Union (UEFA) categorically banned Russia from including Crimean teams in its championships. In response, the Russian Football Union (RFU) stated that the second league championship is an independent organization. At the same time, according to international rules, it is the RFU that is responsible for all professional soccer in Russia.

As reported by OBOZREVATEL, Crimean soccer clubs refused to participate in the new draw of the Cup of Russia.

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