FIFA appeals for 1-month World Cup armistice in Ukraine
THE PRESIDENT of the world football body called yesterday for a onemonth cease-fire in Ukraine to mark the World Cup, saying sport could bring people together. FIFA president Gianni Infantino, addressing leaders of the Group of 20 major economies gathered in Bali, said the World Cup opening Sunday in Qatar could serve as a “positive trigger” in the nearly ninemonth Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“My plea to all of you is to think of a temporary cease-fire for one month for the duration of the World Cup,” he told a G-20 lunch for the leaders.
If not a full cease-fire, there can be “the implementation of some humanitarian corridors or anything that could lead to the resumption of dialogue,” he said.
Describing football as a unifier, he pointed out that Russia had hosted the 2018 World Cup and that Ukraine is submitting a joint bid with Spain and Portugal for 2030.
“We are not naive to believe that football can solve the world’s problems,” Infantino said.
But the World Cup offered a “unique platform,” he said, as an estimated 5 billion people – more than half of humanity – are expected to watch on television.
“Let’s take this opportunity to do everything we can to start putting an end to all conflicts,” he said.
The G-20 talks included President Joe Biden and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov although it was not immediately clear if they were listening to Infantino, who later asked leaders to sign a souvenir football.
FIFA suspended Russia days after President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, booting the Russians from World Cup qualifying matches after several countries refused to play them.