World Cup Qualifying Up in the Air

[silverscreenselect]

The next round of European World Cup qualifying is scheduled for next month. One of the playoffs is scheduled for Moscow with Russia to play Poland. If Russia wins that match, it would play the winner of the Sweden/Czech Republic match, also in Moscow. The winner of that match would advance to the World Cup. Yesterday, Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic issued a joint statement refusing to play any matches in Russia. The governing UEFA federation has not made any decision. In another group, Ukraine is scheduled to play Scotland in Glasgow. No word yet on whether Ukraine will be fielding a team for that. The Champions League final in May has already been moved from St. Petersburg to Paris, and the Russian Grand Prix, scheduled in September, has been canceled.

[silverscreenselect]

FIFA has announced that Russia will still be allowed to compete in World Cup qualifying under the name of the Russian Football Union, without displaying the Russian flag or playing the national anthems. They would also be required to play any "home" matches in a neutral country without any fans in the stands. However, the three teams in Russia's group for next month's World Cup qualifying, Poland, Sweden, and the Czech Republic, have all said they will not play Russia. England has also announced its national team will not play Russia for the "foreseeable future." England hosts the Women's European Championship in June, with Russia as one of the teams that has qualified.

[Bob78164]

FIFA has announced that Russia will still be allowed to compete in World Cup qualifying under the name of the Russian Football Union, without displaying the Russian flag or playing the national anthems. They would also be required to play any "home" matches in a neutral country without any fans in the stands. However, the three teams in Russia's group for next month's World Cup qualifying, Poland, Sweden, and the Czech Republic, have all said they will not play Russia. England has also announced its national team will not play Russia for the "foreseeable future." England hosts the Women's European Championship in June, with Russia as one of the teams that has qualified.

Not any more. Russia was banned last night.

How long until the American right wing decries this as an example of cancel culture in action? --Bob

[Estonut]

FIFA has announced that Russia will still be allowed to compete in World Cup qualifying under the name of the Russian Football Union, without displaying the Russian flag or playing the national anthems. They would also be required to play any "home" matches in a neutral country without any fans in the stands. However, the three teams in Russia's group for next month's World Cup qualifying, Poland, Sweden, and the Czech Republic, have all said they will not play Russia. England has also announced its national team will not play Russia for the "foreseeable future." England hosts the Women's European Championship in June, with Russia as one of the teams that has qualified.

Not any more. Russia was banned last night.How long until the American right wing decries this as an example of cancel culture in action?

About as long as that diet of yours...

[Beebs52]

FIFA has announced that Russia will still be allowed to compete in World Cup qualifying under the name of the Russian Football Union, without displaying the Russian flag or playing the national anthems. They would also be required to play any "home" matches in a neutral country without any fans in the stands. However, the three teams in Russia's group for next month's World Cup qualifying, Poland, Sweden, and the Czech Republic, have all said they will not play Russia. England has also announced its national team will not play Russia for the "foreseeable future." England hosts the Women's European Championship in June, with Russia as one of the teams that has qualified.

Not any more. Russia was banned last night.How long until the American right wing decries this as an example of cancel culture in action?

About as long as that diet of yours...

Cancel culture? Are you cray cray?

[silverscreenselect]

The Internation Skating Union has banned Russia and Belarus from competing in future events until further notice. The International Volleyball Federation pulled the upcoming world championships in August from Russia to a TBD location.

The skating decision came about two weeks too late to avoid another embarrassment.

[silverscreenselect]

The Paralympics are going on now in Beijing without Russia or Belarus teams participating. Ukraine's team got a huge ovation from the other athletes when they were introduced. The International Paralympics Committee made its decision on Thursday, the day before the opening ceremonies and after the Russian and Belarus teams had arrived in Beijing.

The International Ice Hockey Federation has also banned Russia from competition in all age categories, including this year's men's world championship scheduled to begin in May in Finland. Russia was also supposed to host the 2023 World Junior Championship, but a new location will be selected.

The World Cup qualifying in late March will continue with the three other teams in Russia's group participating. Poland (which was scheduled to play Russia), will get a bye into the final and play the winner of the Czech Republic/Sweden match. The winner of that final match will advance to the World Cup.

[Bob78164]

Not any more. Russia was banned last night.How long until the American right wing decries this as an example of cancel culture in action?

About as long as that diet of yours...

Cancel culture? Are you cray cray?

"On Tuesday, former Trump-era assistant treasury secretary Monica Crowley told Fox News’s Jesse Watters that economic sanctions were so severe that 'Russia is now being canceled.' Within days, we heard about Russian Foreign Intelligence Director Sergei Naryshkin using the same cancel-culture rhetoric. 'The West isn’t simply trying to close off Russia behind a new iron curtain. This is about an attempt to ruin our government — to "cancel" it, as they now say in "tolerant" liberal-fascist circles,' Naryshkin said."

Told you so. --Bob

[flockofseagulls104]

About as long as that diet of yours...

Cancel culture? Are you cray cray?

"On Tuesday, former Trump-era assistant treasury secretary Monica Crowley told Fox News’s Jesse Watters that economic sanctions were so severe that 'Russia is now being canceled.' Within days, we heard about Russian Foreign Intelligence Director Sergei Naryshkin using the same cancel-culture rhetoric. 'The West isn’t simply trying to close off Russia behind a new iron curtain. This is about an attempt to ruin our government — to "cancel" it, as they now say in "tolerant" liberal-fascist circles,' Naryshkin said."

Told you so. --Bob

Bob, thanks for the WP's take on the situation.

Monica Crowley's comment was actually praise for the sanctioning effort that is happening. She acknowledged that it will put pressure on Putin. Here is the actual segment.

https://therecount.com/watch/former-tre ... 2645879230

The subtext is that what is being done to Russia is the same thing that has been done to conservative voices. They are 'canceling' Russia in the same way they have canceled Trump and many other conservative voices that threaten their official narrative. They have had a lot of practise in recent years.

And of course, the Washington Post and the other pravda-esque media chime in with their convoluted 'news' stories. And you buy it and disseminate it.
Sad.

[Bob78164]

The subtext is that what is being done to Russia is the same thing that has been done to conservative voices. They are 'canceling' Russia in the same way they have canceled Trump and many other conservative voices that threaten their official narrative. They have had a lot of practise in recent years.

Told ya so, Beebs. --Bob

[jarnon]

Cancel culture? Are you cray cray?

"On Tuesday, former Trump-era assistant treasury secretary Monica Crowley told Fox News’s Jesse Watters that economic sanctions were so severe that 'Russia is now being canceled.' Within days, we heard about Russian Foreign Intelligence Director Sergei Naryshkin using the same cancel-culture rhetoric. 'The West isn’t simply trying to close off Russia behind a new iron curtain. This is about an attempt to ruin our government — to "cancel" it, as they now say in "tolerant" liberal-fascist circles,' Naryshkin said."

Told you so. --Bob

Bob, thanks for the WP's take on the situation.

Monica Crowley's comment was actually praise for the sanctioning effort that is happening. She acknowledged that it will put pressure on Putin. Here is the actual segment.

https://therecount.com/watch/former-tre ... 2645879230

The subtext is that what is being done to Russia is the same thing that has been done to conservative voices. They are 'canceling' Russia in the same way they have canceled Trump and many other conservative voices that threaten their official narrative. They have had a lot of practise in recent years.

And of course, the Washington Post and the other pravda-esque media chime in with their convoluted 'news' stories. And you buy it and disseminate it.
Sad.

The Post should have reported that Crowley is fine with the "cancellation" of Putin. Thus column in Esquire is more balanced:

Putin Is Getting CANCELLED!

Vladimir Putin has united much of the world in opposition to his barbarism in Ukraine, and he has also united a Fox News talking head and a Washington Post columnist in a particular assessment of the situation: the Russian dictator and the state he controls are getting "cancelled." "We are witnessing the first geopolitical 'cancellation' of the 21st century," said the WaPo's Jason Willick. Monica Crowley, once of the Trump Treasury Department, offered that "Russia is being cancelled" and cited the sweeping international sanctions levied against its economy, its ejection from international sporting competition, and...the Ukrainian military resistance?

To be fair, both seem to think the cancellation is justified. Willick called it "righteous." But it remains hilarious, if concerning, to watch people attempt to cram a land war in Europe into the tiny box of a worldview that seems to be entirely defined by culture wars here at home. Sometimes, the tired maxims of America's ritualized political combat are not suited to the moment, particularly when the moment is dominated by an international crisis. Putin and his oligarchy are being punished and isolated in perhaps an unprecedented way. At the very least, we've never organized such a crushing sanctions regime against an economy of Russia's size. But maybe this requires a different term than the one we use for Louis C.K.

[silverscreenselect]

And of course, the Washington Post and the other pravda-esque media chime in with their convoluted 'news' stories. And you buy it and disseminate it.
Sad.

Who needs RT America when Putin has much useful tools as you and Tucker Carlson toting his water for him? And in case you missed it, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Director has also picked up on the "cancel culture" rhetoric, the same way the Russians have picked up on every single bit of praise coming from the right wing over the past several years.

And as long as Putin can broadcast Tucker Carlson to his people (whose access to real news has largely been cut off), he can maintain the illusion that the West does not support the war, or, at worst, is deeply divided.

[silverscreenselect]

Putin Is Getting CANCELLED!

Actually, Putin is getting cancelled. The World Taekwondo Federation has revoked Putin's honorary ninth level black belt (Chuck Norris only has an eighth level belt). In addition, Putin’s status as Honorary President and Ambassador of the International Judo Federation has been suspended indefinitely.

[silverscreenselect]

Ukraine beat Scotland today 3-1 in the long delayed World Cup qualifying match. It had been scheduled for March but was postponed due to the war. The Ukrainian team had not played a competitive match since November and many of them were in the war zone and had to take shelter from Russian bombardment of Kyiv and other cites. The team had been training in Slovenia the last few weeks. Ukraine will now play at Wales Sunday with the winner going to the World Cup. That winning team will be in the same pool with the United States, England, and Iran. The top two teams in pool play advance to the playoff rounds.

[silverscreenselect]

Ukraine's run to the World Cup ended with a 1-0 loss to Wales today. Ukraine actually outplayed Wales for most of the game, but an unlucky own goal deflection and some great goaltending by Wales did them in. Wales will be in the same group with the United States, England and Iran at the World Cup.