This won’t be the first time Moscow is in trouble for expanding its borders in a questionable manner and having sports repercussions, when it sought to acquire Afghanistan in 1980 the next two Olympiads had skewed attendance based on retaliatory politics.

USA refused to compete in Moscow that same year, with many Western allies following suit – but in 1984, Russia bowed out of those Games and this created an almost false victory for USA in Gymnastics, since the bear was over the eagle once it was parallel bars and the rings.

Now, Putin’s decision to complete the 2014 annexation of Crimea by going after the rest of Kyiv, especially after Ukraine’s invitation to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), this aggression has jeopardised the future of the UEFA Champions League in St Petersburg, according to the BBC…

UEFA said it was “closely monitoring the situation” and “any decision would be made in due course if necessary”.

Against the backdrop of unrest, UEFA is viewed as being highly unlikely to attempt to host the game in Russia.

Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson, speaking in the House of Commons on Tuesday, said there was “no chance of holding football tournaments in a Russia that invades sovereign countries”.

Already delegates are being hastily gathered for an Emergency session this weekend, according to The Athletic…

The conflict has already had repercussions in the sporting world and it is understood that UEFA, European football’s governing body, has decided to move this season’s Champions League final away from Saint Petersburg in Russia.

The decision will be made at an emergency UEFA meeting on Friday…

Punters whose odds depended on this tournament, now have to either coordinate refunds or revise their odds based on where the relocation unfolds. After looking at the future trackers from Sports Betting Dime, the European football leagues odds haven’t changed yet due to the Russia and Ukraine situation but we will keep checking as these events escalate.