[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunjin Jeong] The UEFA Champions League final, which determines the best club in Europe, is scheduled to be held this May in Saint Petersburg, the former capital of Russia. Amid this, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson mentioned the Ukraine situation, stating, "The tournament should not be held in Russia."
According to Bloomberg and other sources on the 22nd (local time), Prime Minister Johnson said in Parliament that "I think it is unimaginable for a major international football tournament match to be held in Russia after it invaded a sovereign nation," expressing his stance.
The UEFA Champions League final is currently scheduled to take place on May 28 this year at the Gazprom Arena in Saint Petersburg. Saint Petersburg is the hometown of Russian President Vladimir Putin. President Putin has consecutively hosted sports events such as the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and the 2018 FIFA World Cup, expecting effects like image enhancement.
Nadine Dorries, the UK Secretary of State for Sport, tweeted on the same day, "I have serious concerns about the Champions League final being held in Russia and will discuss this with relevant organizations," adding, "We will ensure that President Putin cannot use such events to legitimize his illegal invasion of Ukraine."
In response, UEFA, the European football governing body hosting the Champions League, stated, "We are closely monitoring the situation and will make a decision at an appropriate time if necessary."
Earlier, the UK announced sanctions against five Russian banks and three oligarchs related to the Ukraine situation, imposing asset freezes in the UK, prohibiting transactions with UK individuals and companies, and entry bans. The sanctioned banks include Rossiya Bank, Black Sea Bank located in Crimea, and Promsvyazbank, which handles 70% of contracts for the Russian Ministry of Defense. The individuals are Gennady Timchenko, a close business associate of President Putin, Boris Rotenberg, and his nephew Igor Rotenberg.
These sanctions are a response to President Putin's approval of the independence of the pro-Russian separatist entities in eastern Ukraine, the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR), and his decision to send troops under the pretext of peacekeeping forces. Within the UK, there are voices calling for even stronger measures in response to these sanctions.
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