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Russia loses Champions League final to Paris; Sochi F1 axed

Ukraine Invasion Sports
Posted at 6:22 AM, Feb 25, 2022
and last updated 2022-02-25 08:22:15-05

LONDON (AP) — Russia has been stripped of hosting the Champions League final by UEFA with St. Petersburg replaced by Paris and Formula One dropped this season's Russian Grand Prix at Sochi as the invasion of Ukraine drew punitive measures across the sporting world.

Manchester United also dropped the Russian state-owned airline Aeroflot as a sponsor citing "events in Ukraine" after the company was banned in Britain on Thursday as part of sanctions.

The men's Champions League final will still be held on May 28 but now at the 80,000-seat Stade de France after the decision by UEFA's executive committee.

The International Ski Federation announced that Russia will not host any more of its World Cup events this winter.

The move comes after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

In a statement, F1 said that it was "impossible to hold the Russian Grand Prix in the current circumstances."