Sepp Blatter has defended the prospect of Russia hosting the next World Cup despite several calls for FIFA to boycott in this tournament due to the violence in the region.
Russia and Ukraine are involved in a Cold War with Russia being vehemently criticised for supporting the guerrillas in the Eastern European country. Several products from Russia have already been banned in several parts of the world, but the country continues to prepare for the 2018 World Cup. It has been suggested that FIFA should cancel Russia’s ability to host the tournament and conduct it in a different European country where conditions are more stable.
Blatter argues that having the World Cup in Russia will in turn bring stability to the region, which has already been affected heavily by the ongoing slump in oil prices. Since oil plays a major role in the economy, it has been suggested that the development work for the World Cup may be hit. FIFA were looking at a similar situation to that of Brazil 2014 where work was not completed just a few weeks before the start of the tournament. Blatter also discussed the state of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which could be held as a winter World Cup for the first time.
“In my opinion the World Cup in Russia will be able to stabilise all the situation in this region of Europe that is suffering now. I am sure that football is stronger than any other movement,” said Blatter, who has often tried to limit the influence of politics in football. It has recently been revealed that Blatter will be standing in elections for yet another term as the president. “My manifesto is the work I have done in the last years in Fifa. I am 40 years Fifa and I am 17 years president. This is my manifesto,” said Blatter.