13 Estonian football clubs demand Russia's expulsion from UEFA

TALLINN – Thirteen Estonian football clubs are calling on the board of the Estonian Football Association (EJL) to convene an extraordinary general meeting to initiate the expulsion of the Russian Football Union from the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and to suspend solidarity payments to Russian clubs.

Paide Linnameeskond, FCI Levadia, Harju JK, FC Infonet, Tallinna Kalev, Viljandi Tulevik, JK Welco, FC Santos, Viimsi JK, Martin Reimi Jalgpallikool, Järvamaa JK, Harju Jalgpalliklubi Laagri, and FC Ravens Futsal are requesting that UEFA stop all payments to Russian clubs, ensure payments to Ukrainian clubs, and expel the Russian Football Union from its ranks.

"In the fourth year of the Russian aggression, UEFA continues to fund clubs in Russia, while support for several Ukrainian clubs is blocked -- this is immoral and unjust. For us, this is a fundamental matter of values, yet we have only heard very strange positions from the president of the EJL and explanations from the football association about why nothing can be done. This is unacceptable to the Estonian football community and clubs,” said Veiko Veskimäe, president of Paide Linnameeskond and one of the authors of the appeal.

"We believe we can and must do significantly more. Therefore, we must act ourselves, and that is why we are calling for an extraordinary general meeting as provided for in the statutes," he said.

On Aug. 15, five Estonian football clubs sent an appeal to the Estonian Football Association asking what steps the association and its president Aivar Pohlak, a member of the UEFA Executive Committee, plan to take. No response has been received so far.

According to Veskimäe, for those calling the extraordinary general meeting, the core issue is the ethical and moral foundation of the sport.

"At a time when Russia continues its full-scale war in Ukraine, its attack drones fly in Poland and fighter jets provoke in Estonian airspace, millions of euros from our common football fund are annually paid to support their clubs. Several clubs that have received UEFA solidarity payments are directly owned by sanctioned individuals or are linked to the political elite of the Russian Federation or other sanctioned persons. This is unacceptable, and our goal is to ensure that international football upholds the principles and values for which the sport exists in the first place -- fair play, equality, and solidarity."

Veskimäe also expressed hope that the collective statement sent to the media last week by the EJL secretariat will foster a spirit of cooperation between the general meeting and the board.

"It shows that now is precisely the right time to convene a general meeting and take a strong joint step to protect Ukraine and the interests of us all within UEFA. Hopefully, the collective position of the board will also give the EJL president strong backing in the Executive Committee to advance this topic," said Veskimäe.

The clubs have submitted their demand for convening an extraordinary general meeting to the board of the EJL. According to the association's statutes, the EJL board must convene an extraordinary general meeting if at least one-tenth of the members request it in writing and state the reason. At the time of submitting the demand, the Estonian Sports Register lists 110 members of the EJL.