UEFA President Alexander Čeferin on the wars in Gaza and Ukraine: “It’s killing me”

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin calls for much stronger political action against the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. "I can't understand how a politician who can do so much to end the carnage can go to sleep while seeing all the dead children and civilians. I don't understand that," the Slovenian said in a Politico interview, adding, with a specific reference to the Gaza war: "I don't see much of a reaction from politicians at the moment. The reaction from civil society is huge."

The situation in Israel and Gaza, as well as the ongoing war in Ukraine, are on the minds of the head of the continent's football association. "It's terrible that children are dying and starving for political reasons," said Ceferin. The situation hurts him personally. "It's killing me. It's impossible to watch these things anymore," said Ceferin. "On the other hand, I'm not in favor of excluding athletes. After all, what can an athlete do to get their government to end the war?"

In this context, Čeferin referred to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. The exclusion of Russian teams has already lasted for around three and a half years. "Has the war ended? No!" said the official. "I have to say that there was enormous political pressure due to the situation in Russia and Ukraine." How things will continue in terms of sport is unclear. "There are discussions about all sorts of things, but I personally am against expelling the athletes," said Čeferin.

When will Russian teams be allowed to participate in international competitions again? "It's pretty clear that the war has to end first," said Čeferin. An attempt to allow the Russian U17 youth team to play at the international level again has already failed. According to Čeferin, "political hysteria" had erupted, he said: "Some members of the executive committee were under enormous pressure. They didn't change their minds, but they asked us to wait because they were being attacked privately and personally to such an extent that they couldn't bear it anymore."

Čeferin "still believes that children should be treated differently" than adults, "because they grow up in fear and hatred." According to the UEFA boss, children understand "that we are not their enemies, that nations are not enemies of one another. But politicians don't care."