Russian President Vladimir Putin categorically opposed the withdrawal of the limit of foreign footballers in the clubs of this country, whose selection was removed in the first phase of the last European Championship.
“Magnificent. Don’t you know that the Russian team hasn’t played in the Olympics since 1988? If only foreigners play, (the national team) will not play for another 20 years, “he said during the meeting of the sports and physical education council.
Since the Eurocup fiasco, a debate has arisen in this country about the need to withdraw that limit, as some consider it the reason for the low level of Russian footballers.
The president of the Russian Football Union (UFR), Alexandr Diúkov, was in favor of this measure, which was also supported by the clubs of the honor division.
The head of the Russian league, Sergei Pryadkin, announced the creation of a working group to study this matter with the UFR and the Ministry of Sports.
In the Russian league the formula 8 + 17 rules, eight foreign footballers and seventeen Russians. Clubs can enter eight ‘legionaries’ into their squads and include them all at the same time in the starting eleven.
Before, the formula was 6 + 5. The teams could register as many foreign players as they wanted, but a maximum of six in the starting eleven.
At the time, the head of the Kremlin, who rarely steps in a football stadium, already criticized Zenit St. Petersburg for spending too much money on the signing of foreign stars.
In recent years Russian clubs have had a poor performance in European competitions, be it Zenit, CSKA, Spartak, Lokomotiv or Krasnodar.
Putin was also against softening that limit in other sports, particularly basketball, which did not qualify for the Games. EFE (HN)