Dan Coats and Mark Kirk wrote to world football's governing body last month urging that Russia's membership be suspended, but FIFA has responded by insisting that participation in its flagship tournament - this year taking place in Brazil - is based on sporting merit alone, and only a violation of its statutes and regulations could lead to a suspension from the competition.

Coats retaliated by highlighting the fact that Yugoslavia was banned from international competition in 1992 and 1994 because of its behaviour during the Balkan wars and not for footballing matters.

"FIFA suggests that outrageous misbehaviour by member states does not matter because such decisions are irrelevant to soccer," he added.

"I continue to call upon FIFA leadership to impose the same punishment [as Yugoslavia received] on Russia."

Two Russian politicians, Aleksandr Sidyakin and Mikhail Markelov, hit back by calling on FIFA President Sepp Blatter to expel the US from the World Cup for alleged past "aggressive action" against Yugoslavia, Iraq and Libya, as well as its attempts to "encroach" on Syria.

FIFA dismissed calls for Russia's expulsion from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil by insisting that participation in its flagship tournament is based on sporting merit alone ©Getty Images


"It's an eye for an eye, a ball for a ball - don't let the USA take part in the 2014 World Cup - end their membership of FIFA," Sidyakin wrote on Twitter.

Russia's seizure of Ukraine's Crimea region has been branded as the gravest threat to European security since the end of the Cold War two decades ago.

The West has imposed sanctions on officials believed to be close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, but the nation today told US policymakers to calm down and accept that Crimea is now part of Russia.

The World Cup, is due to take place from June 12 to July 13, could see the US meeting Russia in the knockout stage of the competition if both squads advance from their groups.

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