I’m going to be honest: it feels strangely inappropriate and a little uncomfortable to be writing about sport, considering what is happening in Ukraine. With innocent civilians dying every day and Vladimir Putin’s finger hovering over the nuke button, winning or losing football games or tennis matches just seems a tiny bit insignificant in the greater scheme of things.

The fact that this war is taking place so close to home, inside Europe, adds to the surrealism of the current situation. I mean, teams from these two countries play each other in the Champions League, for heaven’s sake. The whole situation is almost incomprehensible.

What has been relatively warming to see, however, is the way the sporting world has united around Ukraine. Football, basketball, athletics, volleyball, swimming, tennis – just about every sport you can think of has imposed sanctions of one shape or form on Russia and, to a lesser extent, Belarus.

In most cases, teams and individuals have been entirely excluded from taking part in any sort of competition, tournament or event. There was almost an exception for athletes from the two countries taking part in the Winter Paralympics in Beijing, who were going to be allowed to compete as individuals under a neutral flag.

To be fair, I would have understood this exception on the basis that the Paralympics only happens every four years and many of these amateur athletes, who have dedicated their lives to their sport, may never get another chance to take part in the Games. But when other countries started protesting about their participation, the International Olympic Committee were forced to backtrack just hours before the Games started.

Over the last week I have been surprised by how many people I have heard suggesting that sport should be excluded from the current barrage of sanctions being imposed by the world on Russia and Belarus. I have heard others suggest that Putin couldn’t care less if Spartak Moscow aren’t allowed to take part in the Europa League or Russia is kicked out of the Davis Cup.

But I beg to differ on both points.

Politics and sport shouldn’t mix. I agree with that sentiment entirely. But war, the all-out invasion of one country by another, goes way beyond mere politics. There comes a point – when people are dying – that sport simply cannot hide behind the political neutrality card.

As far as Putin not caring, well, maybe he doesn’t on a personal level. But the sportsmen and women who have found themselves ostracised from global society by the actions of their government do care. Through no fault of their own they have seen their livelihoods and careers grind to a halt, and that is a huge incentive when it comes to them putting pressure on their government to take a step back.

Even more than that, these Russian teams and athletes enjoy massive support in their home country. By excluding them from participating in competitions, the sporting bodies are frustrating the fans and driving the message home.

Russian teams and athletes enjoy massive support in their home country. By excluding them from participating in competitions, the sporting bodies are frustrating the fans and driving the message home

Yes, it’s unfair that the average Russian on the street is suffering because of the unhinged actions of rulers they quite possibly don’t support or agree with. But that is exactly what is happening with the financial, trade and travel sanctions that have been imposed. The oligarchs and leaders won’t be overly happy with the restrictions, but their wealth means they can weather the storm. Ordinary Russians, however, will be hardest hit.

So, on that basis, why should sport not play its part in applying the indirect pressure that is needed to hopefully bring this war to an end? It should and it is. In fact, it now goes all the way down to digital versions of the beautiful game, with EA Sports announcing a couple of days ago that the Russian national team and all the club sides are being removed from FIFA 22.

Again, that doesn’t sound like the sort of thing that is going to make Vladimir quake in his boots, but it will make millions of young Russians angry and irritated. And that anger and irritation, while unfortunate, is needed if the groundswell of opposition to this war within Russia is to grow to a point where it can’t be ignored.

As I said at the outset, it feels flippant to talk about normal sport this week, which is a shame as there has been plenty to write about: Middlesbrough knocking Tottenham Hotspur out of the FA Cup, Marcelo Bielsa getting sacked by Leeds United, that incredible penalty shoot-out between Liverpool and Chelsea, and the emergence of Carlo Ancelotti as a possible contender for the Manchester United job.

But none of that feels particularly important right now.

Let’s just hope and pray that at some point over the next seven days, preferably hours, someone manages to conjure up a ceasefire and the warring parties can thrash out their differences and issues with talks rather than tanks.

The only battles we want to see between these two countries – or any countries for that matter – are the ones that take place at a sporting level.

E-mail: james@quizando.com

Twitter: @maltablade