British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday called for European club soccer’s most prestigious match, the UEFA Champions League final, to be taken away from St Petersburg after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized two self-proclaimed republics in Ukraine.
The final is scheduled for the city’s Gazprom Arena on May 28.
“There is no chance in holding football tournaments in a Russia that invades sovereign countries,” Johnson told the British parliament.
Photo: Reuters
UEFA said in an e-mailed statement that it is “closely monitoring the situation and any decision would be made in due course if necessary.”
It declined to comment further.
Decisions on hosting the final are a matter for European soccer authorities.
Putin has used major sporting events in the past few years to showcase his rule and boost Russia’s international image.
He spent an estimated US$50 billion to host the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, which was later embroiled in a scandal over Russian sports doping, and staged the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
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