NOW NATIONS JOIN WORLD CUP BOYCOTT
Ban on sending officials spreads
RUSSIA’S World Cup is facing potential meltdown as countries threaten boycotts over the Salisbury nerve agent attack.
Australia said it may withdraw its team – after sending home two Russian diplomats.
Iceland said it will send no diplomats to the tournament.
Sweden, Denmark, and Japan are on the verge of similar moves. And Poland’s President Andrzej Dudap is skipping the opening event.
Britain has already said it will send no officials or royals but yesterday Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson entrusted the safety of players and fans to Russia’s President Putin. He said: “The onus is on the Russian authorities to honour their FIFA contract in full and make sure... all UK fans have a safe and enjoyable tournament.” Pressed in the Commons by Labour MP Stephen Kinnock, Mr Johnson was asked if he has held talks with opposite numbers on pulling out and warned the event would provide Putin with a “smokescreen”.
But Mr Johnson replied: “There are no plans to boycott the World Cup or to try to get a boycott by the England team, which is a matter for the Football Association, not Government.”
Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said “boycott of the World Cup” was a “further action” that could be taken over the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, daughter Yulia and Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey.
A total of 147 diplomats have now been booted out from 25 Russian embassies and NATO globally.
■ Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has compared Russian fake news social media to Lord Haw-Haw, aka William Joyce, Hitler’s Second World War propagandist.