Alive and kicking for now, but isolated Russian football risks going backwards

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Russian Premier League - Zenit St Petersburg v FC Krasnodar - Gazprom Arena, Saint Petersburg, Russia - May 13, 2023 Zenit St Petersburg's Douglas Santos lifts the trophy as he celebrates with teammates after winning the Russian Premier League REUTERS/Anton Vaganov/File Photo

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Isolated from European and international competitions, Russian football risks going backwards, one of the country's leading sports broadcasters told Reuters, but must keep knocking on doors to try and find a way back.

Both European soccer body UEFA and global football's governing body FIFA decided that all Russian teams - national or club sides - would be suspended from participation in their competitions following Moscow's decision to despatch troops to Ukraine in February 2022.