Ukrainian crisis or not, Vladimir Putin can sleep soundly: FIFA and its president, Sepp Blatter, will not come to pick lice in his head regarding the preparation of the Football World Cup in Russia in 2018. The Swiss leader made the trip to Moscow at the start of the week to attend as guest of honor the logo presentation ceremony for the next World Cup. All smiles, he assured of his “unconditional support” to the Russian president and the country’s authorities. Better (or worse): Sepp Blatter dismissed with an unqualified gesture any idea of a boycott of the event due to the Ukrainian crisis.
“FIFA unconditionally supports the World Cup in Russia,” said Sepp Blatter. We trust the country, we trust its authorities. The boycott has never brought anything positive. Football can help not only unify Russia, but also show the world that it is stronger than any protest movement. »
This is what is said. Vladimir Putin can breathe, trouble will never come from Zurich, headquarters of FIFA, at least as long as Sepp Blatter runs the house there. Very lively, the Swiss even explained, in reference to a letter sent last spring by American senators, including former presidential candidate John McCain, asking him to withdraw the organization of the 2018 World Cup from Russia due to on its role in the Ukraine crisis: “When we receive letters from North America, we tell them it’s about football. » Naturally…
More pro-Russian than ever, Sepp Blatter unrestrainedly distributed good points to the World Cup organizing committee. The progress of the work? Perfect. “I can say that compared to Brazil, Russia is way ahead of schedule. » Criticism from international opinion on the excessiveness of the Sochi Winter Games? Unjustified. “Remember, we were facing the same situation before Sochi. But neither during the Games nor afterward did we hear any criticism of this event. »
Less than four years before the event, Russia is already top of the class, at least in the eyes of President Blatter. More down to earth, the Swiss took the opportunity to discuss two topics of discussion that have not yet been decided: the match for 3rd place and the opening ceremony of the 2018 World Cup.
Regarding the first, he assured that he had no intention of canceling it, in response to certain voices deeming it superfluous. “These meetings are very important and always spectacular,” he suggested.
As for the opening ceremony, according to him it could take place one day before the first match of the tournament. “We tried to do it during the World Cup in 1 in Germany, but it didn’t work well,” he recalled. But we could try it again in Russia, where three stadiums in Moscow can host the opening ceremony.
Officially a candidate for his own re-election, Sep Blatter is not yet guaranteed to still preside over FIFA at the time of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. But we guess, listening to him talk about the event, that the prospect of handing over does not really occur to him.
