How will Russia's many problems affect the 2018 World Cup?

https://sports.yahoo.com ^ | 6/11/18 | Henry Bushnell

[BBell]

There are countless reasons to feel uneasy about the fact that in less than 72 hours, a World Cup will kick off in Russia. There is the inevitable racism. The expected, state-encouraged homophobia. The oft-discussed hooliganism that threatens to mar the greatest sport’s greatest spectacle.

There are broader reasons, too, why Russia’s hosting of the 2018 World Cup is problematic. But it only seems right to begin an article on the topic with the nagging question: How did we get here?

How did Russia, a nation so utterly undeserving of global sport’s biggest showpiece, manage to land it?

The answer still evades us. But any rational observer or skeptic is convinced that answer includes some sort of shenanigans. Something untoward. Something illicit.

A retrospective FIFA investigation into the matter, released publicly last year only after it was obtained by an investigative journalist, found no evidence of Russian wrongdoing. But it found, among other things, that computers belonging to the Russian bid team had been destroyed. It did very little to dispel suspicion surrounding a 2010 vote that has been shrouded in controversy. On the same day Qatar won the right to host the 2022 tournament ahead of the U.S., Australia, Japan and South Korea, Russia beat out England and two others. In the eight years since, there have been too many bribery allegations to keep up with. There has been a massive FIFA corruption scandal that can be traced back to 2010, to Russian suspicion, and to the man behind the now-famous Trump Dossier.

All of which is to reiterate the point: Russia probably didn’t deserve the World Cup then, just as it doesn’t now. FIFA’s inspection team rated its bid the riskiest of the four for 2018. And yet here we are.

[BBell]

Possible problems foreseen, real or imagined:

Racism at games

Racism elsewhere around Russia

Homophobia

Hooliganism

Others

Putin's misogynistic attitudes toward women.

drugs

Adolf Hitler

brutality of his (Putin)regime

cyberwarfare

actual warfare in Ukraine

support of abhorrent Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad

And finally

The World Cup legitimizes Putin and Russia.

OK, any liberal MSM talking points missed?

[BBell]

Muzzies conspicuously left off the list.

[Jim W N]

Can’t be as bad as Brazil’s reported elimination of street children to make Brazil look better before the WC. I really loathe and despise the WC and the corruption it stands for.

The world is teetering on total destruction.

[Jolla]

I miss the old days when international sporting events were only that.

[Trump20162020]

Reads like a parody of all SJW tropes. “Racism, homophobia!!!,” even that meme word “problematic.”

[matt1234]

Yahoo is a joke.

[butlerweave]

Russia does not care ,it has tons of Vodka ,LOL

[bgill]

See! See! Russian collusion!!!!!!! And Trump is behind it all!

[Honorary Serb]

Leftist anti-Russian propaganda! PERIOD!!!!

Let the games begin!!

[mac_truck]

I understand the footballs used are going to feature likenesses of Theresa May and Boris Johnson.

[BBell]

One thing that is not on the list that wont't be a problem.

ANTIFA

[ml/nj]

How did Russia, a nation so utterly undeserving of global sport’s biggest showpiece, manage to land it?

Compared to some Muzzie place the next one is at? Give me a break. I don't know about anyone else here, but my problems with Russia disappeared years ago, and I choose not to be fooled by the magical resurgence in Russia hating.

ML/N

[scrabblehack]

Do Brits like vodka? When Germany hosted, the Brits outdrank the Germans by a long shot.

[CrimsonTidegirl]

I admit, I’m sort of pulling for the Russian squad to win the cup. The howls of agony from the left would be epic.

I definitely don’t want Germany, England or France to win.

[Verginius Rufus]

For the record, there are 32 countries represented.

14 are European: Russia, Portugal, Spain, France, Denmark, Iceland, Croatia, Switzerland, Serbia, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, England, and Poland.

8 are Latin American: Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and Uruguay.

5 are Middle Eastern/North African: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, Iran, and Tunisia.

2 are Sub-Saharan African: Nigeria and Senegal.

2 are East Asian: Japan and South Korean.

1 is in Oceania: Australia.

Since the US is not in it this time, maybe the thing to do is to root for the most pro-American country. Not sure which one that is--maybe Poland.

[Mozzafiato]

This article is a joke, nobody cares about racism, hooliganism, or homophobia at the World Cup. I’ve been to seven of them and it’s all about the games and nationalism (not necessarily in that order)

[BBell]

Yes it is but Adolf Hitler is no joke.sarc

[colorado tanker]

For almost my entire adult life the media and Democrats have whined about Republicans and anti-Communists being too tough on Russia. We were warmongers and worse who wanted to start WWIII. They pushed the nuclear freeze, unilateral disarmament, detente, the Reset Button, anything but peace through strength. Democrats worked with the Russians to defeat Reagan. It culminated in the infamous Obama-Romney debate when Romney was flayed and derided for identifying Russia as our most dangerous enemy in the international community.

So, all this changed just because of the fake dossier and over the top, pathological hatred for Trump???

It's like 1984. The media and Dems (same thing) now say they have always been at war with Russia, just like Oceania has always been at war with . . .

[Peter ODonnell]

I guess that homophobia may surface when Uruguay plays.

“You’re a gay!”

But if Luis Sanchez is playing, they will bite back.

[Nuc 1.1]

What’s the World Cup about?