Premier League Suspends Russian Broadcast Agreement

The Premier League has suspended its agreement with Russian broadcast partner Okko Sport and is donating £1 million ($1.3 million) to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to support humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.

The league announced the suspension of its rights deal with Rambler today with with immediate effect. “The League strongly condemns Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” the body said in a statement today. “We call for peace, and our thoughts are with all those impacted.”

Premier League clubs have shown their support for Ukraine with special armbands for captains and moments of silence at the start of matches. “Football Stands Together” has been displayed on pitch screens against the backdrop of the blue and yellow colors of the Ukrainian flag.

A range of sports organizations have rallied around Ukraine in recent weeks. Formula One suspended the Russian Grand Prix slated for later this year, and then nixed its association with the event’s organizers. The executive board of the International Olympic Committee recommended that International Sports Federations and sports event organizers not invite or allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials in international competitions. FIFA and UEFA suspended all Russian teams from participation in both FIFA and UEFA competitions until further notice.