Estonian football clubs have initiated an extraordinary meeting of the Estonian Football Association, demanding that UEFA address the suspension of “solidarity payments” to Russian clubs and exclude the Russian Federation from the organization. Regional media reported on the initiative.
According to global media, since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, UEFA has paid 10.8 million euros to Russian clubs under the “solidarity payments” system. The Russian Football Union also remains a member of the organization and has points on the club coefficient table, despite the suspension of its clubs from competitions.
Estonian clubs have asked the Estonian Football Association to organize an extraordinary meeting to discuss suspending funding to Russia and initiating the process of expelling the Russian Federation from UEFA.
While Russia continues its full-scale war in Ukraine, their combat drones fly over Poland, and their fighters provoke Estonia’s airspace, millions of euros are paid annually from our joint football fund to support their clubs
– Press Service of the Estonian Football Association
Key Details and Participants
The request was signed by 13 Estonian clubs, including the current national champions Levadia and the local championship’s third-placed team Paide.
According to Article 19.1.2 of the Estonian Football Association’s Statutes, the board is obliged to convene a meeting if at least one-tenth of the Association’s members submit a written and justified request. At the time the request was submitted, the Association had 110 members.
According to global media, five Ukrainian clubs immediately could not receive UEFA’s “solidarity payments” due to being in zones of military action: Odesa’s Chornomorets, Real Pharma, Metallurg Zaporizhzhia, Phoenix-Mariupol, and Metalist 1925 Kharkiv.
Some clubs that received UEFA’s solidarity payments are directly linked to individuals under sanctions or to Russia’s political elite. This is unacceptable, and our aim is for justice and the values for which football exists to prevail in international football: fair play, equality, and solidarity
– Estonian Football Association Press Service
The President of the Estonian Football Association, Aivar Pohlak, sits on UEFA’s Executive Committee. According to media, in August five Estonian clubs approached the Estonian Football Association and Pohlak regarding further actions by the organization, but no response to the inquiry was received.