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Some countries have mentioned the possibility of boycotting this summer's World Cup in Russia in response to a nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy in Britain, which they blame on Moscow. Would you support such a boycott?

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absolutely. And it shouldn't stop at that.

0 ( +10 / -10 )

And / or downgrade the event.

-2 ( +7 / -9 )

Putin is doing a much better job then many others,, accusing him is a dirty game by politician but what's not dirty and manipulated nowadays,, not only since the Iraqi war,, either you are on the "right" side and do how you get told or you are an enemy

-5 ( +7 / -12 )

As far as I know, two countries ( England and Australia ) have mentioned this possibility. To be honest, nobody but English people and Australian people would miss them.

The World Cup will go ahead just fine without them. There will be plenty of willing subs.

A mass boycott would be a different story but that isn’t going to happen.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

I think the footballing nations should dump FIFA, it's rotten to the core and successful bidders win tournaments by passing on millions of dollars worth of backhanders. A neutral observer can see tthat Russia was a stupid choice for the World Cup. Same with Qatar, it's just insane, payers will drop dead on the pitch. It's all about money, never mind the consequences for the players and the fans.

13 ( +14 / -1 )

Very much with zichi on that. I have no problem with countries boycotting the wc on a political/diplomatic level (which is what a few nations will be doing) but i reckon bringing politics into sports should be done as a last resort. Plus it would be pretty hypocritical to withdraw your NT from the wc yet maintain strong political and economical ties with Russia.

The very few countries that mentioned withdrawing their NT did so half-heartedly (to say the least), i.e. was more a 'look-at-me moment' than anything else. They didn't 'really' mean it.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

I think that the Russian world cup should be boycotted, because the Russians are verified cheaters, having run a state-sponsored doping program at the Olympics. They cannot be trusted to not cheat. They don't care about the ideology of sport, they care about winning at any cost. Even if that cost is cheating.

5 ( +15 / -10 )

They managed Sochi splendidly, so why can't they do the World Cup equally well? I agree with Zichi. Every time someone has a gripe they want to ban or boycott something, including supposedly neutral sporting events. Conversely, sporting events can be a lucky chance to pull people together. Keep politics out of it! The Russians have got the message; how could a boycott of the WC help anything?

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

It's up to countries to decide for their own teams

Whatever their decision, it's theirs to make, and in that capacity should be supported

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I don't think a boycott will be necessary. I think there will be a lot of empty stands and given that's a decision to not attend undertaken by the ordinary citizen, it makes it hard for Russia to escalate the issue further. Every country should just put out a clear travel advisory warning. Australia has already done so and if you imagine the impact of the entire West doing so....Thats going to add up.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

They managed Sochi splendidly

They used Sochi to dope their athletes due the added access provided through access they had as a result of putting on the Olympic. It's silly to think they'll do anything else at the World Cup.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

Yes, Strangerland, I know that, but Sochi was a wonderful success nonetheless, even though it faded from people's memories pretty damn quick after the Crimean invasion. 

Here we are discussing the UK spy poisoning case though, not a generalized disapproval or dislike of Russia and its ways.

-8 ( +2 / -10 )

When are we going to boycott and place sanctions on Israel for human rights abuses, genocide and the murder of Palestinian children?

-3 ( +7 / -10 )

The Russians cheated in Sochi. No doubt they'll do something similar this year. Wouldn't it be great if all other countries boycotted the WC and let the Russians play with themselves.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Shouldn't events like the World Cup and the Olympics be held among peace loving nations who respect one another? Russia has demonstrated an aggressiveness and complete disregard towards its neighbors and other nations which is clearly evident.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Tough one. If I thought it would accomplish anything, I'd vote yes. But since I think all it would accomplish is to make Russia even more bullish and defiant, and aggressive for that matter, I'd say no. Also, sports are pretty much the only thing good right now in the news, and the only thing that MIGHT bring people together.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

As soon as Politics interferes with sport we are completely lost.

Anyway, it's looking more and more like the UK Government is jumping the gun a bit by accusing Russia, even their own Scientists are saying that they could not identify the source as coming from Russia.... smells a bit like Weapons of Mass Destruction and Iraq again.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

We will see....

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The West always blames everything on Russia.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

When are we going to boycott and place sanctions on Israel for human rights abuses, genocide and the murder of Palestinian children?

Difficult game to start playing. Who else deserves a boycott?

Ask people around the world and I’m pretty sure you’d get very different answers adding up to a very long list of countries.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

I am surprised that the majority of readers here would gladly piss on Russia's parade. So much hate. I do understand that people's vitriol demands to point somewhere, though. On balance I agree with Smith above. Can we not give them their day in the sun?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I remember when the U.S. led the boycott of the summer Olympics in 1980 (Moscow, U.S.S.R.). This was after the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan and was done to protest the invasion of Afghanistan. I remember thinking how wrong and unfair that was for politicians to take away what for most Olympic athletes is a once in a lifetime opportunity for which they trained so hard for. I was against that boycott.

Not that my opinion will amount to anything at all, however I would also, for similar reasons, strongly oppose a similar boycott of the World Cup in Russia.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

When are we going to boycott and place sanctions on Israel for human rights abuses, genocide and the murder of Palestinian children?

Indeed. There's actual proof of who is responsible for what's happened in Gaza. Unlike who may have been responsible for what happened in the UK.

Boris Johnson may have been a bit too keen

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-43639801

Mr Johnson said that "people from Porton Down" were "absolutely categorical", adding: "I asked the guy myself. I said 'are you sure?', and he said 'there's no doubt'."

But on Tuesday the Porton Down laboratory said it could not verify the precise source of the Novichok nerve agent used, although it did say it was likely to have been deployed by a "state actor".

If Putin's Russia is guilty, sure, throw the book at them. It's ordinary Russians who have no say in what their leaders get up to, I feel sorry for. Like ordinary American citizens. Neither are responsible for the provocations caused by belligerent and aggressive presidents.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

o! Keep sport and culture out of politics.

South Africa was kept out of sport until apartheid fell. A few argued otherwise, but I feel that it helped bring it down.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

This would be a good idea. It is not strange countries don't trust Russia anymore. They have to change and become more modern, open and democratic.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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