The playing of the Russian anthem with the players lined up side by side, some with their right hands on the left side of their chests, meant that the alternative football definitions had been updated.
In May 2023, the Russian under-17 team traveled to São Paulo to take part in a tournament not sponsored by FIFA (the international football federation), CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation), or FPF (São Paulo's Football Federation) and played against the Nacional team in the traditional stadium on Rua Comendador Souza. They beat them by 7-0.
"The option we have is to play football in Brazil", replied, dryly and through a translator, coach Denis Pertvushin. In normal situations, his athletes should be in Budapest, playing in the category's Eurocup.
Football in the European country has been suspended by FIFA due to the invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing war.
National Russian teams were not able to participate in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, and the team was withdrawn from the competition for a place in the World Cup in Qatar last year.
Translated by Cassy Dias