December 12 – Last week UEFA announced it was banning clubs in the annexed Crimea region of Ukraine playing in any Russian-organised football competitions. This week the Russians have announced a 4.5 billion ruble ($83 million) aid package to rebuild Crimean sports infrastructure.
The money has been allocated from a new Russian federal programme budget of 73.9 billion rubles ($1.4 billion), said Alexander Roslyakov, director of the Russian Sports Ministry’s investment development and state property management department.
The new funding programme, titled ‘Development of Physical Culture and Sports in the Russian Federation in 2016-2020’, is a national programme and indicates the extent that Crimea has quickly been assimilated into the Russian political and funding structures.
“Slightly more than 45 billion rubles ($830.5 million) will be allocated for facilities of big-time sports, and 8 billion rubles ($147.7 million) for mass sports facilities. Some 4.5 billion rubles ($83 million) is due to be allocated for restoration of Crimea’s sports infrastructure,” said Roslyakov.
Crimea had two clubs playing in Ukraine’s top division before Russia took control. TSK Simferopol, SKChF Sevastopol and Zhemchuzhina Yalta were admitted into Russia’s league and national cup eight months ago.
The Russians say the clubs are all new entities and nothing to do with the old teams that played in the Ukrainian league. They say two Crimea teams who used to play in the Ukraine first division have been disbanded
UEFA said the Russian Football Union “may not organise any football competition in Crimea, without the consent of UEFA and the Football Federation of Ukraine (FFU),” adding the ban would take effect on January 1.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734966954labto1734966954ofdlr1734966954owedi1734966954sni@n1734966954osloh1734966954cin.l1734966954uap1734966954