“This is not the first scandal for FIFA. The organization has a long history of corruption involving several autocratic regimes, including the Russian one. So it doesn’t surprise me, but history will punish both.” This was stated to Adnkronos by Ukrainian deputy and member of the Foreign Affairs commission, Sviatoslav Yurash, who belongs to the Servant of the People party of President Volodymyr Zelensky, commenting on the news according to which Fifa rejected Zelensky’s request to deliver a speech before the kick-off of the World Cup final.
Underlining how the link between Moscow and Fifa is very solid, Yurash recalled the World Cup assigned to Russia in 2018, also amid controversy. “In that case it is not clear what happened and several journalists made inquiries which corruption emerges”, continues the deputy, according to whom the news of the refusal to let Zelensky speak is “sad”.
Yurash then explains that together with the “men and women of Ukrainian sport” they have not yet decided whether they will boycott the final. “To tell the truth, watching the game is not at the top of my priorities right now,” she explains, pointing out that there was once again a wave of missile attacks against Ukrainian territory today.
