UEFA moves Champions League final to Paris

Russia was stripped of the Champions League final by Uefa on Friday with St Petersburg replaced by Paris after Russia’s attack on Ukraine drew punitive measures in the sporting world.

The showpiece final in the European men’s football season will still be held on May 28 but now at the 80,000-seat Stade de France in the Saint-Denis suburb of the French capital after the decision by Uefa’s executive committee.

It followed discussions led by Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin that involved the European Commission and French President Emmanuel Macron in recent days after concerns were raised about the status of Russia retaining such a prestigious event after its aggression toward another European country.

Uefa thanked Macron for his “personal support and commitment to have European club football’s most prestigious game moved to France at a time of unparalleled crisis.”

Alexander Dyukov, a Russian member of the Uefa executive committee, complained the decision was taken for “political reasons.” Dyukov also opposed Uefa ordering Russian clubs and national teams to play at neutral venues until further notice – a ruling also imposed on Ukrainian sides.

The French government will also work with Uefa to help to rescue footballers and their families who “face dire human suffering, destruction and displacement,” European football’s governing body said in a statement.

There is the unresolved matter of Russia still being due to host Poland in World Cup qualifying playoff semifinals in Moscow. Poland wants the game taken out of Russia, but Fifa has yet to decide.

This is the third consecutive year that Uefa has had to change its Champions League final location after two switches due to coronavirus issues.

The Stade de France last hosted the Champions League final 16 years ago, when Barcelona beat Arsenal in the 2006 final.

The 68,000-capacity St Petersburg stadium was originally picked in 2019 to host the final in 2021. That was postponed by one year in the fallout of disruption caused by the pandemic.

In Formula One, American team Haas dropped the sponsorship of Russian company Uralkali during preseason testing in Barcelona. Nikita Mazepin of Haas is the only Russian driver on the F1 grid this season. (AP)