Uefa and Fifa are facing yet another test of whether they actually want to punish Russia for its ongoing integration of teams from illegally occupied Ukrainian territory. This time, it's FC Sevastopol - yes, from Crimea - who have won promotion to Russia's professional third tier. Because nothing says "amateur spirit" like a club from occupied territory climbing the league ladder.

Sevastopol were declared champions of group one in the Football National League (FNL) 2B - effectively Russia's fourth division - last month, and are believed to have applied for a licence to compete at the level above. Should that licence be granted and they proceed to FNL 2A, it would appear to violate Uefa rules that prohibit Crimean clubs from playing in competitions organised by the Russian Football Union (RFU). The governing body would then come under severe pressure to extend sanctions on European football's pariah state, whose club and national teams are already banned from international tournaments.

"Of course, we plan to submit documents," Sevastopol CEO Valery Chaly told local media last month. "According to the regulations we should advance to the next stage." The RFU remains a member of Uefa and Fifa, but there would be fresh calls for its ejection if Sevastopol's ascent is not blocked. It is understood no decision about their potential admission has been made - because why rush these things?

Football's governing bodies faced a similar dilemma in 2023 when Sevastopol and another Crimean club, Rubin Yalta, were accepted into FNL 2B, despite the fact that sides from the occupied territory have not been allowed to compete in Russia since its annexation in 2014. The Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) asked Uefa and Fifa to consider ejecting Russia, alleging a "gross violation" of their statutes and Uefa's 2014 ruling that Crimean clubs must not compete in RFU-run events. Uefa claimed it would assess the situation, but the authorities appeared to turn a blind eye. The RFU said it had created a workaround by making FNL 2B an amateur competition that it did not operate. At the time, several clubs at that level contacted by the Guardian confirmed informally that they were fully professional. No such blurring of the lines exists for FNL 2A, which has never denied its clubs are professional. Because sometimes a loophole is just a loophole.

That unwillingness to act led to escalation when, in April 2024, an imitation of the Ukrainian club Zorya Luhansk - whose home city in Donbas is illegally occupied by Russia - was admitted to FNL 2B. This year they were joined by a fake Shakhtar Donetsk, mimicking the current Champions League side who have been forced to play elsewhere since 2014. Five of the 15 teams who completed the recent FNL 2B group one season played in or claimed to represent occupied areas, with the Simferopol-based club Kyzyltash Bakhchisaray completing the quintet. Because if you're going to do something, why not do it thoroughly?

Should the RFU decide - of its own accord or under pressure from international bodies - to bar Sevastopol from promotion, an even bigger flashpoint may await. The imitation Shakhtar finished runners-up in group 1, securing that spot by winning 2-0 at Sevastopol on the season's final day last Saturday, and are next in line to go up. Unlike Sevastopol, their home matches are played on Russian territory, in Taganrog, rather than an occupied area. The club is, however, registered to an address in Donetsk. So that's fine then.

In October 2025, the UAF asked Uefa to review and explain the imitation clubs' legal positions, but as with any assessment of the Crimean clubs' participation, the results are still awaited. It warned of a "coordinated political attempt to legitimise the occupation and erase the identity of Ukrainian football." Uefa, presumably, is still assessing.

Last month, Russia competed in a Fifa-run event for the first time since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, finishing 19th in the new under-15 World Cup. Teams at under-15 and under-16 levels have continued to play in smaller Uefa development tournaments, largely against invited opponents on home soil, during the war in Ukraine. Because nothing says "development" like ignoring a war.

None of Uefa, Fifa, the RFU, the FNL, Sevastopol or the imitation Shakhtar Donetsk offered comment when contacted by the Guardian. Shocking.