Russia 2018: "Boycotting sports events is not the most effective solution" (FIFA)

"History has shown so far that boycotting sports events and policies of isolation or confrontation are not the most effective ways to solve problems. (...) We have seen that the World Cup can be a force for good and FIFA believes this will be the case for the 2018 World Cup in Russia," said FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) on 25/07/2014.

The international federation was responding to demands from several politicians, notably from the UK and Germany, to take hosting of the 2018 World Cup away from Russia after the airline disaster in Ukraine on 18/07/2014, which was attributed to a missile shot off by pro-Russian separatists.

"Vladimir Putin can't constantly (...) push the patience of the international community beyond breaking point, destabilise a neighbouring country, protect these armed separatists in the east of Ukraine and still have the privilege and honour of receiving all the accolades in 2018 for being the host nation of the World Cup," said Nick Clegg, the British deputy prime-minister, to the newspaper the Sunday Times, on 27/07/2014.

"The World Cup…