Cancellations, revocations and repudiations: Russia becomes persona non grata in sport

While UEFA is still deliberating over whether to terminate its reported 40-million-euro annual sponsorship contract with Russian state-owned gas giant Gazprom, the Champions League final will no longer be held at Saint Petersburg but in Paris, still on May 28 but at the 80,000-seat Stade de France. The decision to strip Russia of the hosting honour was announced on Friday, when UEFA also announced that Russian and Ukrainian clubs and national teams competing in international competitions must play home matches at neutral venues "until further notice".

Spartak Moscow in the Europa League are the only club from either Russia or Ukraine still in European competition this season.

On Saturday, Poland announced it would refuse to play in a March 24 World Cup qualifier against Russia next month, citing the invasion of Ukraine. "The time for talking is over. It is time to act. Due to the escalation of the Russian Federation's aggression in Ukraine, the Polish team does not envisage playing the play-off against Russia," wrote Polish football federation president Cezary Kulesza.

His Swedish counterpart followed suit later on Saturday. "Whatever FIFA decide, we will not play against Russia in March," said federation president Karl-Erik Nilsson.

Poland were scheduled to play in Moscow on March 24 while the Swedes first face the Czech Republic.

Kulesza said he would work with the Swedish and Czech federations – the winners of their match would have to play in Russia on March 29 if the latter beat Poland – to present a unified position to FIFA.

The three federations issued a joint statement on Thursday demanding FIFA move the respective play-offs from Russia, which only four years ago hosted the World Cup finals.

Poland captain Robert