Alexei Balashov, exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
After the scandalous match between Zenit and Dynamo the general director of Zenit, Maksim Mitrofanov, stated that the club might leave the Russian championship if "our rights would be violated." Then, the information appeared that Zenit can move from St. Petersburg to Sevastopol, as the cities are twinned.
Later the head of Zenit and Gazprom, Alexei Miller, tried to calm downthe situation and stated that they meant uniting post-Soviet republics into a unified championship of the CIS, rather than "leaving Russia" and distance from Russian football. "A lot of people believe that we could play the CIS Football Championship, and I am a strong supporter of the idea. If time for making a new championship comes, we will act and make thoughtful steps agreed with people who support the idea of establishing the football championship of the CIS," the head of the Russian gas monopoly has stated recently.
The first who reacted to these words was the head of the Accounts Chamber, Sergey Stepashin. He said that the idea is unreal as UEFA won't let participants of this championship play in European cups. The story got continuation. It is interesting that such an old project was supported at various levels of football (and not only football) power in Russia and abroad.
The strongest club of Belarus BATE supported the idea of uniting national leagues, remembering the intrigue of the USSR championships, but it doubts in a possibility of agreeing the project with the European football administration. Later the Football Federation of Armenia supported the initiative at the official level. The Football Federations Association of Azerbaijan is also ready to discuss the project: "The proposal has to be discussed before making any decision. It is a serious question. Anyway it can encourage development of football."
Then, such an important person of Ukrainian football as Igor Surkis joined the discussion. Supporting the idea of the unified championship for the CIS, he called for discussion a possibility of uniting not behind curtains, but in wide circles of politicians and experts. Politicians are taking part in discussions too. Last Friday the Kremlin paid attention to the idea. The head of the Russian presidential administration Sergey Ivanov stated that such a tournament would be more spectacular than any national championship. The idea is nice, of course. However, how can football championships of the countries which have no diplomatic relations and appear to be opponents in a military conflict be united? How can security of players and fans be provided? How can misbehavior in stadiums and cruelty on the pitch be prevented? How can sport and politics be divided?
Sergey Ivanov was delicate in his statement and mentioned "a championship where clubs from three-five best CIS countries would play." Such a measure will enable avoiding negative circumstances, but a difficult choice will have to be done. What club wouldn't play in the CIS championship - Neftchi or Ararat? The choice cannot be made, and it is not necessary. Football must be a force which unites and makes peace, rather than isolates and encourages escalation. Modern football and sport in general is impossible without commerce. Probably, the only way to establishing the unified league is a professional symbiosis of sportsmen: true and devoted fans of football and business - where no difference between ethnic groups is made and any country or any partner is welcomed for effective cooperation. The head of the Russian Football Premier League has stated that his organization will deal with development of organization of the CIS championship. Now we have to wait certain proposals from football officials. Probably the idea of a big strong football league has chances for realization under support at the political and business levels.
