Russia take the sporting route to image makeover

MOSCOW : New stadia, hotels, roads, airports and other infrastructure with an estimated investment of close to $12 billion make the 2018 FIFA World Cup one of the costliest ever. In terms of spending, Russia’s investment for the tournament stands second to only Brazil’s estimated $15 billion splash in 2014.

With football’s grandest tournament coming to Russian soil for the first time, the country has pulled all stops to make it an affair to remember.

NOT A SMOOTH RIDE

It hasn’t been a smooth ride since the country won the bid in December 2010. Economic sanctions following the Crimean crisis, controversy over spending at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, a full-blown doping scandal, a diplomatic stand-off with Britain, allegations of corruption and workers’ rights violations ahead of the World Cup meant that the spotlight rarely left the Russian state in the build-up.

Nevertheless, Russia has man- aged to get work completed in time and now awaits well over 1 million fans. Economic benefits of hosting the World Cup remain unclear. “The games will last just one month and the associated economic stimulus will pale in comparison to the size of Russia’s $1.3 trillion economy,” Kristin Lindow, a senior vice-president of Moody’s, said in a recently released report.

The Russian central bank, on the other hand, said the tournament will bring short-term economic benefits. “Concerning the second and third quarters of 2018, the short-term positive impact on the Russian economy will be the growth in jobs and increase in demand for consumer products and services,” the bank was quoted as saying by Reuters.

There also remains the question whether most of the 12 stadiums will become white elephants once the World Cup ends.

For president Vladimir Putin and the Russian state, however, hosting the World Cup remains more of an image building event.

An estimated cost of $51 billion for the Sochi Olympics in 2014 has seen Russia facing allegations of corruption. After the Crimean crisis, the country was facing international isolation.

This World Cup, in a way, is Russia’s attempt to project its soft power and getting back at the west after a series of diplomatic disputes in recent years.

In his speeches, Putin has been careful to omit references of economic fallouts from the World Cup, barring the obvious upgrade in infrastructure. Instead, his speeches have been mostly about the country’s hospitality and Russia’s culture and heritage.

While the Russian economy may not stand to gain in the longrun from the World Cup, the tournament comes at a time when the country seeks to rebuild its image as a world leader.

After beating England, among others, to the hosting rights, a successful tournament will come in handy Russia’s quest for the same.

THIS WORLD CUP IS RUSSIA’S ATTEMPT TO PROJECT ITS SOFT POWER AND GETTING BACK AT THE WEST.