UEFA makes U-TURN on plan to end its blanket ban on Russian football teams

UEFA has backed down on their plans to end their blanket ban on Russia football teams after they faced fierce backlash over their decision to allow the nation's Under 17s side to compete last month.

The governing body was swift to hand down a total ban on both national and club sides in the wake of Russian aggression 18 months ago, and the organisation's president Aleksander Ceferin stated in April that it would be 'very hard' to overturn the ruling as long as Russia remained involved in their conflict with Ukraine.

However, UEFA then announced a fortnight ago that they would ease the ban to enable Russian youngsters to play and develop - insisting it was 'aware that children should not be punished for actions whose responsibility lies exclusively with adults.

The policy provoked a split in UEFA's executive committee and at least 12 of the 55 European member federations said their teams - which reportedly included England - would continue to refuse to play games against Russia.

Now UEFA has been forced to back down and announced on Tuesday that Russia will not be allowed to play in U17s European Championship qualifying games this month.

After assessing how Russian youth teams could be reintegrated, UEFA said after another executive committee meeting on Tuesday that 'the agenda point was withdrawn as no technical solution to allow Russian teams to play could be found.'

Last year, shortly after Russia had invaded Ukraine - and before UEFA's ban came into effect - England reiterated their vow to not play Russia in any competition while they were still involved in the conflict.

A statement from the FA in February 2022 read: 'Out of solidarity with the Ukraine and to wholeheartedly condemn the atrocities being committed by the