Ukraine confirms it will play on in Euro 2024 qualifiers

KYIV : Ukraine will continue playing Euro 2024 qualifying matches despite a government ban on Ukrainian national teams taking part in competitions involving athletes from Russia and Belarus, the country said on Monday.

Kyiv imposed the ban, which covers Olympic, non-Olympic and Paralympic events, over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and the use of neighbouring Belarus as a staging post for the invasion.

Andriy Pavelko, head of the Ukrainian Football Association, published a letter on Facebook in which the sports ministry outlined a decision to let Ukraine play on in the Euro 2024 qualifiers even though Belarus is also taking part.

"The national team of Ukraine will continue official performances in qualifying for the 2024 European Championship," he wrote on Facebook.

Ukraine's qualifying Group C includes England, Italy, North Macedonia and Malta. Belarus is in Group I with Israel, Andorra, Kosovo, Romania and Switzerland.

They lost their opening game 2-0 away to England, who lead the group with six points after two matches. Ukraine's second game is away to North Macedonia on June 16.

After the invasion of Ukraine last year, which Moscow calls a special military operation, Russia was barred from competing in European tournaments by governing body UEFA.