MOSCOW, August 21. /TASS/. President of the Russian Football Union (RFU) Alexander Dyukov told TASS on Monday he intended to once again run for a seat on the Executive Committee of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) after his current term expires in 2025.

Dyukov was elected as a member of the UEFA Executive Committee in April 2021. The European governing body told TASS on March 14 that Dyukov’s executive term was valid until 2025.

"There is still a lot of time until 2025 and lots of things can change," Dyukov said. "Do I plan to be re-elected? I still have to live my life until 2025. If I live to see this day - then yes [I’ll run again]."

Dyukov, 55, the chief executive of Russian oil major Gazprom Neft and ex-chairman of the Board of Directors of Zenit St. Petersburg football club, was elected president of the Russian Football Union in February 2019.

In the period between 2008 and 2017, Dyukov also served as the president of Zenit St. Petersburg FC. During this period, the football club from Russia’s second largest city won three national football championships (2010, 2012, 2015), took two Russia Cups (2010, 2016) and also won the 2008 UEFA Cup and the 2008 UEFA Super Cup.

Dyukov also serves as the first vice-chairman of the national associations committee and vice-chairman of UEFA's Club Competitions Committee.

Russia’s ban from int’l competition

The International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) announced on February 28, 2022 that the Russian national team and all professional clubs representing the country were barred from taking part in FIFA tournaments.

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) made the same decision in regard to the Russian national football team’s participation in UEFA tournaments.

Both FIFA and UEFA cited Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine as being the reason for their decisions.