Ex-Chelsea chief backs boycott of World Cup

THE former boss of Chelsea football club has called for a boycott of the World Cup in Russia.

Christian Purslow – who was managing director at the club owned by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich – said England, Germany, France and Spain should take a stand against the poisoning of Sergei Skripal.

In a letter to The Times the 54year-old said a combined move by the European heavyweights would ‘destroy the credibility’ of the tournament and ‘hurt Putin’s popularity’.