Football’s world governing body Fifa and Europe’s governing body Uefa have suspended Russian clubs and national teams from all competitions.
The move comes after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended that Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials be banned from any organized international competitions.
It means the Russian men’s team will not play their World Cup play-off matches next month and the women’s team has been banned from this summer’s European Championship.
Spartak Moscow has also been kicked out of the Europa League, while Uefa has ended its sponsorship with Russian energy giant Gazprom.
“Both presidents hope that the situation in Ukraine will improve significantly and rapidly so that football can again be a vector for unity and peace amongst people.”
“Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine”, the statement says.