By Andrew Warshaw
March 24 – Russia’s Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko is reportedly planning for Crimea’s two top-flight clubs to quit the Ukrainian league and switch to Russia as the crisis in the region impacts on football.
The status of Tavriya Simferopol and PFC Sevastapol has been unclear since Russia seized control of Crimea, the only certainty being that the two clubs would complete the current league programme.
Mutko, a member of the FIFA executive committee, is understood to have last week requested the approval of an immediate switch of the two clubs into the Russian league. Sources close to the exco told INSIDEworldfootball that this has been turned down flat.
FIFA said today it had received “no such request” but Mukto appears to believe he has been granted the go-ahead.
He told Russian media: “This topic was discussed under an agenda item about sports and political matters at the exco meeting [and] I have been informed that it is a reality – there are two new clubs in Russia. Yes, they will work within the sporting regulations of the country.
“We are interested in friendly relations with Ukraine and are not going to destroy the integrity of its championship. The season ends in May and we will then return to these questions and discuss what the formula would be.
“This is a matter now for the Russian federation and its Premier League.”
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