Russia National Soccer Team
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, center, speaks with young athletes at the Olympics Unleashed session at the Yeronga Park Sports Centre in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, May 7, 2022. Bach was in Brisbane on Saturday for the first time since the Queensland state capital was awarded the 2032 Olympics. (Jason O'Brien/AAP Image via AP)
Bach says Russia ban is to protect athletes, not punish them

By Graham Dunbar May. 20, 2022 09:08 AM EDT

FILE - IAAF President Sebastian Coe attends a press conference ahead of the Doha IAAF Diamond League in Doha, Qatar, May 2, 2019. Olympic great Sebastian Coe said Monday March 14, 2022, sports federations must remain firm to keep Russian and Belarusian athletes out of competitions following the invasion of Ukraine. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili, File)
Sebastian Coe says sports must fight to keep Russia banned

By Chris Lehourites Mar. 14, 2022 12:10 PM EDT

Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold of Norway sports a headband reading No War Please as she competes in the Biathlon 4x6 km relay women's World Cup competition, in Kontiolahti, Finland, Thursday, March 3, 2022. (Vesa Moilanen/Lehtikuva via AP)
Russia steps up legal fight against isolation in sports

Mar. 11, 2022 10:38 AM EST

A screen shows support to Ukraine before the English Premier League soccer match between Everton and Manchester City at Goodison Park in Liverpool, England, Feb. 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Russia ready again for urgent court case over World Cup ban

By Graham Dunbar Mar. 04, 2022 12:40 AM EST

FILE - FIFA President Gianni Infantino, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin pose for cameras at the FIFA congress on the eve of the opener of the 2018 soccer World Cup in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, June 13, 2018. In a sweeping move to isolate and condemn Russia after invading Ukraine, the International Olympic Committee urged sports bodies on Monday to exclude the country's athletes and officials from international events. The decision opened the way for FIFA, the governing body of soccer, to exclude Russia from a World Cup qualifying playoff match on March 24. Poland has refused to play the scheduled game against Russia. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)
COLUMN: Will sports ever stop cozying up to strongmen?

By Jim Litke Mar. 03, 2022 07:05 PM EST

FILE Poland's Robert Lewandowski controls the ball during the World Cup 2022 group I qualifying soccer match between Poland and England, at the Narodowy stadium in Warsaw, Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021. Poland is refusing to play its World Cup qualifier against Russia next month in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Polish soccer federation president said Saturday, Feb, 26, 2022. Poland striker Robert Lewandowski, the nation's all-time leading scorer, immediately responded to say it's the “right decision!” (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski, File)
England vs Poland 9/8/2021

Feb. 26, 2022 11:46 AM EST

Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov, of the Russian Olympic Committee, perform their routine in the ice dance competition during figure skating at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
France's Papadakis, Cizeron open lead at Olympic ice dance

By Dave Skretta Feb. 12, 2022 10:23 AM EST

Germany's goalkeeper Manuel Neuer reacts after the Euro 2020 soccer championship group F match between Germany and Hungary in Munich, Wednesday, June 23, 2021.(Kai Pfaffenbach/Pool via AP)
The Latest: England coach to decide on isolating players

By The Associated Press Jun. 28, 2021 09:55 AM EDT

Poland's Robert Lewandowski heads the ball during the Euro 2020 soccer championship group D match between Sweden and Poland, at the St. Petersburg stadium in St. Petersburg, Russia, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Kirill Kudryavtsev, Pool)
Long flights frustrate some teams at sprawling Euro 2020

By James Ellingworth Jun. 25, 2021 09:49 AM EDT

Denmark's managaer Kasper Hjulmand applauds fans as he walks off the pitch after the Euro 2020 soccer championship group B match between Denmark and Belgium, at the Parken stadium in Copenhagen, Thursday, June 17, 2021. Belgium won 2-1. (Wolfgang Rattay, Pool via AP)
Danish officials say delta variant reported during Euro 2020

By Jan M. Olsen Jun. 24, 2021 05:20 AM EDT

Slovakian players celebrate at the end of the Euro 2020 soccer championship group E match between Poland v Slovakia at the Saint Petersburg stadium in St. Petersburg, Russia, Monday, June 14, 2021. (Evgenya Novozhenina/Pool via AP)
Slovakia's Vavro tests positive for coronavirus at Euro 2020

By Steve Douglas Jun. 17, 2021 07:46 AM EDT

England's goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, right, goes for the ball ahead of England's Tyrone Mings, left, and Croatia's Bruno Petkovic during the Euro 2020 soccer championship group D match between England and Croatia, at Wembley stadium, London, Sunday, June 13, 2021. (Laurence Griffiths, Pool via AP)
The Latest: Spectators injured by parachuting protestor

By The Associated Press Jun. 15, 2021 08:15 AM EDT

Denmark's players react as their teammate Christian Eriksen lays injured on the ground during the Euro 2020 soccer championship group B match between Denmark and Finland at Parken stadium in Copenhagen, Denmark, Saturday, June 12, 2021. (Wolfgang Rattay/Pool via AP)
The Latest: Belgium's Castagne to miss rest of Euro 2020

By The Associated Press Jun. 12, 2021 04:01 AM EDT

Russia players warm up during a training session of the national team at Petrovsky stadium in St. Petersburg, Russia, Friday, June 11, 2021, on the eve of the Euro 2020 soccer championship group B match between Russia and Belgium. The Euro 2020 gets underway on Friday June 11 and is being played in 11 host cities across 11 countries. The event was delayed by one year after being postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
Mostovoy tests positive, cut from Russia's Euro 2020 squad

Jun. 11, 2021 05:44 AM EDT

Turkish fans wait for the kick-off of the Euro 2020, group A soccer match between Italy and Turkey, at the Rome Olympic stadium, Friday, June 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, Pool)
The Latest: Italy opens Euro 2020 with 3-0 win over Turkey

By The Associated Press Jun. 11, 2021 03:06 AM EDT

The entrance path to Wembley stadium, ahead of the upcoming Euro 2020 soccer championship in London, Wednesday, June 9, 2021. The Euro 2020 kicks off on Friday June 11 when Italy face Turkey in Rome. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Virus threat, Europe's divisions hang over rescheduled Euros

By Rob Harris Jun. 10, 2021 10:29 AM EDT

FILE - In this Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020 filer, Slovakia's Marek Hamsik looks to pass the ball during the Euro 2020 playoff semifinal soccer match between Northern Ireland and Slovakia at Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison, File)
EURO 2020: Slovakia again pins its hopes on Marek Hamšík

By Eric Willemsen Jun. 02, 2021 06:20 AM EDT

FILE - In this Sunday, July 15, 2018 file photo, France's Paul Pogba, pulls on the arm of Croatia's Ivan Rakitic during the final match between France and Croatia at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia. Delaying the European Championship by a year has helped out some teams and hurt others. England had more time to integrate talented young players and deepen its squad. Croatia's squad from its run to the World Cup final in 2018 is nearing the end and Ivan Rakitic has retired from international soccer. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)
Croatia vs France 7/15/2018

May. 27, 2021 09:06 AM EDT

FILE - In this Friday, June 8, 2018 file photo, Croatia squad pose ahead of a friendly soccer match between Croatia and Senegal in Osijek, Croatia. Delaying the European Championship by a year has helped out some teams and hurt others. England had more time to integrate talented young players and deepen its squad. Croatia's squad from its run to the World Cup final in 2018 is nearing the end and Ivan Rakitic has retired from international soccer. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic, File)
EURO 2020: Winners and losers from the 1-year delay

By James Ellingworth May. 27, 2021 09:05 AM EDT

FILE - In this Sunday, April 25, 2021 filer, the video display casts a shadow on the pitch of the National Arena stadium, a venue of the Euro 2020 soccer tournament, in Bucharest, Romania. For players, the pandemic has meant a congested season that poses fitness challenges, let alone trying to avoid coronavirus infections. Financially playing the delayed tournament is essential for UEFA. For fans, the EURO 2020 24-team event should be the first chance for the widespread return of fans to stadiums across Europe since March 2020, assuming new restrictions aren't imposed. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)
EURO 2020: Fans back in stadiums but not in same numbers

By Jerome Pugmire May. 25, 2021 08:34 AM EDT