A Polish sports newspaper has published a map in which Crimea comprises part of Russia, despite Warsaw being a longstanding critic of the region’s reunification with the country.

In an article released on Friday, Przeglad Sportowy, the oldest Polish sports daily, published a map which showed clubs participating in the upcoming Champions League football tournament, along with the countries they represent.

Read more

On the map, Crimea is attached to Russia and is denoted in the same color, indicating that they are part of the same country.

The position of the newspaper’s management apparently runs counter to the stance of the country’s leadership on the Crimea issue. Poland has repeatedly stressed that it rejects the “illegal annexation of Crimea.” It is also a backer of European sanctions imposed on Moscow over the reunification.

The Polish paper is not the first Western outlet to show Crimea as a part of Russia, despite the leadership of many countries being vocal critics of the region’s reunification with Russia. Earlier in August, a German TV channel broadcast a documentary showing Crimea as part of Russia.

However, in June this year, Bloomberg took a neutral stance on the matter when it showed the region as neither Russian nor Ukrainian. Its map prompted a response from the Ukrainian embassy in the US, which demanded that Bloomberg correct it.

READ MORE: German broadcaster publishes map showing Crimea as part of Russia

Crimea held a referendum after the 2013 uprising and coup in Ukraine. The peninsula rejoined Russia following a referendum in March 2014, in which 97 percent voted in favor of reunification. The result remains unrecognized by Kiev and the West, while Russia insists that the vote was conducted in accordance with international law.

Like this story? Share it with a friend!