Much like his U.S. puppet, Russian kleptocrat and murderous thug Vladimir Putin craves the world's notice and affirmation. He desperately wants Russia to reclaim the prestige that was lost with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Indeed, he said just before his fraudulent "re-election" that he'd reverse its collapse if he could. His aggression toward Ukraine, his thinly veiled threats against the Baltic States, and his recent bellicose statements about his missile technology all point to an authoritarian willing to push the limits to gain additional power in the region and the world, and recapture of the old territories of the Soviet Union.
The conquests are also happening on the international sports front, starting with the Sochi Winter Olympics. Now, the 2018 World Cup games in Russia, scheduled for June 14 to July 15, are the latest example of Moscow using international sports as a tool of propaganda and aggrandizement. Russia was awarded hosting rights in 2010 under suspicious circumstances, long before their invasion of Crimea in 2014 and their meddling in elections in Europe and the U.S., and participation in Syrian genocide. While none of the 32 nations sending teams to the World Cup have withdrawn yet, several countries have joined the UK in boycotting the state diplomatic ceremonies for the games.
An actual boycott of the games by the 32 national teams is not going to happen, unless Moscow invades another neighbor before then. Even then, there's an enormous amount of money tied up in the quadrennial games for all participants. Going forward, what should happen at a minimum is FIFA -- the sponsoring organization -- should be enjoined by a majority of its member states from ever holding the World Cup games in Russia again. Putin has to be firmly denied his sought-after prestige events, which is helping to fuel his ambition.
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