UEFA To Consider Proposals To Create Soviet League As Long As Federations Agree

UEFA would consider proposals to create a joint Russian-Ukrainian football league "if the national federations involved agree," according to R-SPORT. Leading Russian clubs and state-controlled gas company Gazprom, are "pushing for the creation of the Unified Football Championship for Russian and Ukrainian clubs, which could then expand into other post-Soviet countries." In a statement, UEFA said, "In general, provided all respective national bodies agree, UEFA would then look into the matter." FIFA President Sepp Blatter has labeled the plans “impossible,” and the Ukrainian football federation said last week that it was "absolutely opposed." Russian FA President Nikolai Tolstykh has previously said that he would follow Blatter’s lead, although the organization appeared to "soften its stance slightly Tuesday" with a website statement promising to “act in the interests of Russian football” on the issue (R-SPORT, 2/20).