(CNN – The Polish and Swedish national teams will not face Russia in a crucial 2022 World Cup qualification playoff matches in March in protest at Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The president of Poland’s football association Cezary Kulesza announced the news on Saturday.
“No more words, time to act! Due to the escalation of the aggression of the Russian Federation towards Ukraine the Polish national team does not intend to play the play-off match against Russia,” he tweeted.
“We are in talks with (Swedish) and (Czech) federations to bring forward a joint statement to FIFA.”
Poland was due to travel to Moscow to face Russia on Thursday, March 24, while Ukraine was scheduled to travel to face Scotland on the same day.
The winner of the Poland-Russia game would host either Sweden or Czech Republic on March 29 in the final of their World Cup qualification route.
And the Swedish Football Association (SVFF) said on Saturday its board had decided that its men’s national team “will not play a possible playoff match against Russia — regardless of where the match is played.
“The Federal Board also urges FIFA to cancel the play-off matches in March in which Russia participates,” the SVFF statement added.
“We have a hard time believing that FIFA will not follow our call. Russia cannot join as long as this madness continues,” the Swedish FA said.
Bayern Munich superstar and Poland striker Robert Lewandowski echoed Kulesza’s sentiment, saying: “It is the right decision!
“I can’t imagine playing a match with the Russian National Team in a situation when armed aggression in Ukraine continues,” Lewandowski tweeted. “Russian footballers and fans are not responsible for this, but we can’t pretend that nothing is happening.”
Other members of the Polish squad released joint statements on their social media — one in Polish and one in English — agreeing with their football association’s decision.
“We, the players of the Polish national team, together with the Polish Football Association, decided that as a result of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, we do not intend to play in the play-off match against Russia,” it said.
“It is not an easy decision, but there are more important things in life than football. Our thoughts are with the Ukrainian nation and our friend from the national team, Tomasz Kedziora, who is still in Kiev with his family.”
The statement signed off with the hashtags #SolidarnizUkraina (In solidarity with Ukraine) and #NoWarPlease.
Kedziora is a 27-year-old defender who played for Dynamo Kyiv.
The Polish football association had released a statement on Thursday which said it believed the qualifiers should not be held in Russia.
