Voices From Sports World Offer Support for Ukraine After Russian Invasion
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, fans and athletes alike have displayed solidarity with Ukrainians in recent days.
After Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion on Thursday, world football saw many similar scenes of support play out in the following days:
Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin and men's tennis star Andrey Rublev, who are both natives of Russia, also voiced their opposition to their country's attack on Ukraine:
The sentiment has extended to the organizational level as well.
The United States Soccer Federation announced Monday that it "stands united with the people of Ukraine and is unequivocal in our denunciation of the heinous and inhumane invasion by Russia." To that end, the federation said it won't take the field against Russia "until freedom and peace have been restored."
That followed a a similar stance by the soccer federations of Czech Republic, Poland and Sweden.
The New York Times' Tariq Panja reported Monday that FIFA will levy an indefinite ban on Russia and remove the country from qualification for the 2022 men's World Cup.
The International Olympic Committee recommended international sporting associations to remove Russia from upcoming events.
Despite the widespread condemnation directed toward Russia, the fighting in Ukraine continues.
According to CNN, representatives from both countries met Monday in Belarus in order to broker a possible end to the conflict. However, no resolution was reached.
