Don’t boycott World Cup, British MPs told

Russia showpiece should be used to build bridges, parliamentary committee says

British lawmakers should not boycott the 2018 World Cup in protest at Russian leader Vladimir Putin, a parliamentary committee said yesterday.

Britain’s Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said last year “all options” were being considered as means of putting pressure on Russia over its role in the ongoing conflict in Syria.

But despite expressing reservations about Russia’s human rights record, the rule of law in the country and statesponsored doping, the Foreign Affairs committee said the World Cup should be used to build bridges.

“The FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) should use this tournament and others to enhance and repair the wider relationship between the UK and Russia, rather than boycott sport in response to other strained aspects of UK-Russia relations,” the committee’s report said.