NYON, Switzerland - UEFA has barred football clubs in the disputed Crimea region from playing in competitions organized by the Russian Football Union.The prohibition starting on Jan. 1 was imposed at a meeting of UEFAs executive committee on Thursday.A disciplinary case can be opened for non-respect of the decision, UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino.Three Crimean clubs — SKChF Sevastopol, Tavria Simferopol and Zhemchuzhina Yalta — have played this season in the Russian third-tier league, which is currently in a midwinter break.Russias annexation of the Crimea region in March is not recognized by the United Nations.Still, the RFU registered the clubs in its league and national cup competition, angering its Ukrainian counterpart, and in breach of football rules.UEFA and FIFA statutes prohibit clubs switching federations without consent.Earlier Thursday, Russia state President Vladimir Putin described Crimea as his countrys spiritual ground in an annual state-of-the-nation address.Former FIFA vice-president Vyacheslav Koloskov told the Tass agency that many things in this ruling are not yet clear.FIFA will provide a clarification of to what extent this ruling is fair in the legal sense, Koloskov said.The president of SKChF Sevastopol, Alexander Krasilnikov, criticized the decision as against football.This UEFA ruling is most of all directed against football and the fans, Krasilnikov was quoted as telling the R-Sport agency, adding that UEFA was mixing football with politics.Infantino insisted the decision, following weeks of talks involving its Russian and Ukrainian member federations, was made to allow some football to be played while upholding the rules.It is not up to UEFA to determine any political situation, Infantino said at a news conference.UEFA is giving Crimea special zone status for football purposes and pledged to fund development projects there.What is a special zone? Why is there no zone like this in Abkhazia? Koloskov was quoted telling Tass, citing the breakaway region of Georgia.A vice-president of the RFU, Nikita Simonyan, told R-Sport that UEFA came under pressure from one of its vice-presidents, Hrihoriy Surkis of Ukraine.UEFA said Surkis was excluded from the boards meeting room when the issue was discussed.Two Russian officials — Vitaly Mutko, the sports minister and FIFA executive committee member, and UEFA board member Sergey Fursenko — did not attend the meeting on Thursday at UEFA headquarters.___AP writer James Ellingworth in Moscow contributed to this report Shoes Canada Shop . -- Canadian freestyle skier Roz Groenewoud isnt letting surgery to both of her knees deter her expectations for the Sochi Olympics. Shoes Canada From China . 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"It caught me pretty good, dazed me for that shift, but I didnt want to be off the ice for too long," he said after practice, his lip still bleeding a little despite the plastic stitches holding it together.Ron Washington was still passionate about the game as losses kept piling up during an injury-plagued season for the Texas Rangers. With a revolving roster filled with so many young players who had never been in the big leagues, Washington kept teaching -- youngsters and veterans alike -- to help them be better now and in the future. The eighth-year manager, who led Texas to its only two World Series, already was looking forward to 2015. And the Rangers were planning for their winningest manager to be back. But the 62-year-old Washington abruptly resigned Friday for what he termed an "off-the-field personal matter." His statement provided few answers, and general manager Jon Daniels cited Washingtons privacy while not getting too detailed. In a text to The Associated Press, similar to the message he sent several people, Washington said he will be fine and just needed some time. He again offered no specifics about his unexpected resignation, but strongly indicated his absence from baseball wouldnt be permanent. "Ill get back in the Game!," he finished his text. "He means a lot. Thats why for sure its going to be hard for me that hes not going to be here anymore," said Elvis Andrus, the 26-year-old sixth-year shortstop whose 896 games played for Washington were more than any other player. Washington described in his statement Friday how painful the decision was, but said it was not because of the teams losing season. He did give Daniels permission to say at a news conference that the move "was not drug-related." Team executives stood by him during spring training in 2010, when it was disclosed that Washington had admitted to using cocaine once the previous year. The manager got another two-year contract extension in 2012, and before this season got another year through 2015. Now Wash is gone. "Its kind of like being traded. Weve got a new manager,&quuot; said lefty Derek Holland, who just this week made his season debut.dddddddddddd "The main thing is Im thankful for having Wash around ... for what hes taught me, both on and off the field." The Rangers played more than 162 games each of the past four years. After their two American League pennants (2010-11), they lost the ALs first one-and-done wild card game to Baltimore in 2012, and last season lost wild-card tiebreaker at home to Tampa Bay. But 2014 has been marked by all the injuries, including a majors-high 14 players current on the disabled list. That includes main off-season acquisitions Prince Fielder and Shin-Soo Choo, ace pitcher Yu Darvish and left-handed starters Matt Harrison and Martin Perez. The Rangers have set big league records using 40 pitchers and 63 players. There have been 22 rookies, 15 of them making their major-league debuts -- two pitchers doing so in Washingtons last game Thursday night, a loss that made Texas (53-87 then) the first team mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. "Unbelievable. I dont think any team can have a season like this in any way," third baseman Adrian Beltre said. "Injuries, changes, all the bad things that happened this year. I never remember any team going through this and I hope it will be the last one for anybody. Because it hasnt been fun." First-year Rangers bench Tim Bogar, who had played for Washington in the minors, was named the interim coach for the rest of this season. He will also be a viable candidate when Daniels begins his search to replace the first manager he hired. "We havent gotten that far," Daniels said. "This is pretty fresh as far as where we are in the situation and how things have come down, but ultimately were going to make a long-term choices based on whats best for the organization and club moving forward." ' ' '