Sergei Palkin calls for Ukraine to replace Iran in the World Cup

'The vacant place should be taken by the national team of Ukraine'

Shakhtar Donetsk CEO Sergei Palkin has called for FIFA to ban Iran from the World Cup and replace them with Ukraine this winter. Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky recently claimed that seven Iranian-made drones, which had been supplied to Russia, were shot down in the country. Ukraine downgraded their diplomatic ties and stripped their ambassador of his accreditation in response to the drone strike. Both Ukraine and the US have accused Iran of supplying drones to Russia but they have said that they have exercised a "clear policy of active neutrality" in regards to the war in Ukraine. A group of Iranian sports personalities have also submitted a letter urging FIFA to ban Iran from the World Cup due to the treatment of women in their country. Although there is no official ban, women are often denied entry to sporting events. Now Palkin has insisted that Ukraine should replace Iran in Qatar. https://twitter.com/fcshakhtar_eng/status/1584424241147314176?s=46&t=8cTMvWLsN0sJNaZ9D3mTdQ A statement released via Shakhtar Donetsk said: "Shakhtar Football Club calls on FIFA and the entire international community to immediately ban Iran’s national team from playing at the World Cup for the country’s direct participation in terrorist attacks on Ukrainians. "This will be a fair decision that should draw the attention of the whole world to a regime that kills its best people and helps kill Ukrainians. "The vacant place should be taken by the national team of Ukraine, which proved that it is worthy of participation in the mundial. With unequal conditions with other national teams during the play-offs, they played with their heart. "This decision is historically and sportingly justified. I urge everyone to join the pressure on the football bureaucracy. It is enough to repeat the mistakes of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, hiding behind the empty thesis about the apolitically of sports. "Facilitating the participation of terrorists in the World Cup is politics. It’s time to put an end to such a policy." Iran's first game of the tournament is against England on November 21. They will also face Wales and the USA in Group B. Related links:

• Luciano Spalletti brings roses to press conference for murdered Iranian women
• Rights group call on FIFA to expel Iran from the World Cup
• Shakhtar Donetsk chief accuses football agents of ‘exploiting the war in Ukraine’