Hwang's future unclear as FIFA allows foreign players to suspend Russian contracts

Hwang In-beom [HWANG IN-BEOM]

FIFA announced Monday that, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, all foreign players and coaches at Russian teams now have the right to suspend their contracts until the end of June, although football's international governing body refused to agree on a more permanent solution.

The only Korean player affected by the announcement is Hwang In-beom, who plays for Rubin Kazan in the Russian Premier League. Hwang recently returned to Korea to treat an injury, but his future with Rubin Kazan remains uncertain.

Currently playing his third season with the Russian club, Hwang, a Korean national team regular, has recently started taking on the captain's role. With a third of the 2021-22 Russian season still to play, Hwang is left with a difficult choice over whether to take the FIFA opportunity to sit out four months or continue to play despite the obvious concerns of playing in an increasingly isolated Russia.

"Following the escalation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has led to an ongoing and distressing humanitarian crisis, the Bureau of the FIFA Council has decided — in coordination with UEFA and after consultation with various stakeholders — to temporarily amend the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players," a statement from FIFA said Monday.

"In order to facilitate the departure of foreign players and coaches from Russia ... foreign players and coaches will have the right to unilaterally suspend their employment contracts with the FUR-affiliated clubs in question until the end of the season in Russia."

FIFPro, the largest football players' union in the world, has called for FIFA to go one step further and allow players to fully terminate their existing contracts with Russian clubs.

Hwang has yet to comment on his future in Russia, although the timing of his current injury would make it easy to shift to an extended period of recuperation, especially as he is already out of the country.

If FIFA does opt to follow FIFPro's request in the future, Hwang could choose to terminate his contract and look elsewhere. He has experience in both the United States and Russian leagues and has been suggested in the past as a possible option for a number of top-flight clubs in western Europe, including in the Premier League.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]