RUSSIA SHUNNED

LONDON • Russia was on Monday kicked out of the 2022 World Cup by Fifa as the world football governing body and Uefa, the European equivalent, joined forces to expel the country’s national teams and clubs from all international competitions.

Russia, which hosted the World Cup four years ago, was due to take part in the play-offs against Poland on March 24. The winner would then face either Sweden or the Czech Republic for a berth – one of three remaining spots for European teams – in the quadrennial tournament starting on Nov 21.

But all three teams issued a joint statement at the weekend saying they would flat out boycott any game involving Russia, following the country’s invasion of Ukraine last week.

Plans to play on neutral territory were also dismissed as unacceptable by the Poles, Swedes and Czechs, forcing Fifa to act.

“Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine,” Fifa and Uefa said in a statement.