Estonia, Lithuania sanctioned for refusing to face Belarus in Malta tournament
Malta agrees to host Belarus as 'MFA believes international sport movement should remain united'
UEFA has sanctioned the football federations of Estonia and Lithuania for refusing to honour their fixtures against Belarus in the upcoming Women’s U17s European Championship qualifying tournament, which will be played in Malta later this month.
The Malta U17s team will host the League B, Group 1 tournament, which also includes Belarus, Estonia, and Lithuania, and will be played between March 27 and April 2.
However, not all qualifying group matches will be played.
Both Estonia and Lithuania have refused to face Belarus because of the country’s involvement in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The decision had already been made before the draw, with both federations aware they could be placed in the same group as Belarus, as has happened in previous competitions.
Following Belarus’ involvement in the war, UEFA banned Belarusian clubs and national teams from hosting international matches in Belarus.
Russia, meanwhile, has been completely banned from UEFA competitions since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Belarusian teams are still allowed to compete internationally but must play their home matches at neutral venues and behind closed doors. They are also able to play away matches, although entry into host countries ultimately depends on the host nation itself.
MFA vice-president Matthew Paris told the Times of Malta that the Maltese governing body has consistently adhered to the decisions of the international sporting bodies.
“The Malta FA has been drawn to face Estonia, Lithuania, and Belarus in the UEFA Women’s Under-17 tournament, which will be hosted in Malta,” Dr Paris said.
“From a sporting perspective, the Malta FA believes that the international sports movement should remain united when addressing matters of this nature."
Read full story on sport.timesofmalta.com