GENEVA (AP) — The ban on Russian soccer teams from European competition has been upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The urgent CAS ruling is an interim judgment pending a full appeal hearing in the weeks ahead.

It does not apply to Russia's chances of being reinstated for World Cup qualifying.

Russian athletes and teams have been banned from dozens of sports since the country invaded Ukraine last month.

The Associated Press reported that UEFA also ended its sponsorship with Russian energy company Gazprom.

The ban by FIFA is part of a similar but separate appeal by the Russian soccer federation, which could be decided by CAS this week.

Russia had been scheduled to play Poland on March 24 in the World Cup qualifying playoffs.

But Poland, and several other teams, including Sweden and the Czech Republic, refused to play Russia because the country decided to invade Ukraine, ESPN reported.

News of the ban came after FIFA was criticized for not going far enough in punishing the country for its invasion of Ukraine, the New York Times reported.

According to the AP, FIFA did not immediately expel Russia from World Cup qualifying and allowed them to play without its flag and anthem.