Russia bids to host European tournaments despite global soccer ban
AxiosAPR 2022
Sports bans sucessfully increase pressure on Russia over their unjust invasion of Ukraine by delivering a financial and psychological blow. They compromise the image Putin and his allies carefully cultivated of a prosperous and fortified nation.
Russia has every right to attempt a bid at the UEFA Euro 2028. Sports bans are discriminatory; they're contrary to the principle that international sports should be independent of politics, and they also unfairly harm millions of Russian and foreign fans and sport itself.
Sometimes money and alliances matter more that human rights: Nobody is blocking Saudi Arabia from sports or from buying Newcastle United, despite their brutal war on Yemen.