FIFA reportedly denied Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s request to broadcast a message of world peace before the World Cup final on Sunday
Zelensky offered to be in a video talking to the crowd in the stadium before the game in Qatar, CNN reported on Friday.
Zelensky’s office was shocked that FIFA denied the president’s request to address World Cup Final
A source who spoke to CNN said, “We felt FIFA intended to use its platform for the greater good,” adding that Zelensky’s office was shocked by the negative response.
According to CNN, conversations between Zelensky and FIFA are still ongoing, so a message could yet be achieved before Sunday’s match between Argentina and France.
In order to gather support for the nation’s defense against Russia’s invasion, which started on February 24 this year, the Ukrainian Premier has spoken at many of the biggest events in the world.
Zelensky has appeared at events ranging from the meeting of the Group of 20 Nations to the Grammys as well as the Cannes Film Festival. Additionally, he has shared the stage with a number of journalists and celebrities, most notably Bear Grylls, Sean Penn, and David Letterman.
Criticism ahead of the tournament
Although Qatar is the first Middle Eastern country to host the event, FIFA has gone to great lengths to avoid political messages in the competition.
In the weeks preceding the World Cup, criticism of the wealthy Gulf state’s treatment of migrant labor and LGBTQ people got louder. Just before the competition started, FIFA president Gianni Infantino reacted with an enraged outburst, accusing Europe and the West of hypocrisy.
Russian president to garner support for the occupied country after Russia’s invasion
The report came after Russia launched a series of deadly missile attacks against Ukraine, reported Daily Mail. The strike destroyed vital infrastructure and buried victims beneath the debris.
With explosions confirmed in the nation’s capital Kyiv, second-largest city Kharkiv, and Kryvyi Rih, practically every significant area was targeted in Friday’s strike.
In an effort to force Ukraine into submission after failing to win the war on the battlefield, Russia has been striking national-grid infrastructure and killing civilians.
