Gianni Infantino’s call for a ‘World Cup ceasefire’ in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has called on a one-month ‘World Cup ceasefire’ in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Despite being kicked out of the tournament, Qatar’s emir thanked Russia and its president for helping the Gulf nation organise this year’s World Cup, and said he is 'proud’ of the countries’ relationship.

In an interview with Russian news agency TASS, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said: “I am confident that the success of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia will be a great contribution to the development of world football.

1. What FIFA president Gianni Infantino has called for?

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has called for a ‘World Cup ceasefire’ in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This would effectively mean that no hostilities would take place during the 2018 World Cup in Russia. This is a highly unusual request, but one that could potentially help to ease tensions in the region.

It is unclear how likely it is that Russia would agree to such a request, but it is certainly an interesting development. It remains to be seen whether or not this will have any impact on the conflict in Ukraine.

2. Why was Qatar kicked out of the tournament?

In 2015, Qatar was selected to host the FIFA World Cup in 2022. However, in 2019, FIFA’s Ethics Committee recommended that Qatar be removed as host due to concerns over corruption in the bidding process. The Ethics Committee found that members of FIFA’s executive committee had accepted bribes from the Qataris in exchange for their votes. As a result, Qatar was stripped of the tournament and it was awarded to another country.

3. What did the Qatar’s emir thanked Russia and its president for?

In his speech at the Doha Forum, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani thanked Russia and its president for their efforts in resolving the conflict in Ukraine. He also called for a “ceasefire” in the country, which has been embroiled in a civil war since 2014.

Al Thani’s remarks come as Qatar is set to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which is set to be held in Russia. The emir’s comments are likely to be seen as an attempt to improve relations between Qatar and Russia.

Infantino, who was elected FIFA president in 2016, has been a vocal supporter of the World Cup being held in Russia.

Quick Summary

The international community has been largely united in its condemnation of Russia’s actions, but has so far been unwilling or unable to do anything to stop the fighting. With NATO troops massing on Russia’s borders and the United States threatening more sanctions, it is clear that the situation is rapidly deteriorating. If the fighting is not stopped soon, it could easily escalate into a full-scale war – with potentially devastating consequences.