Qatar World Cup 2022: Ahead of the final, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy requested FIFA to share a world peace message. Ukraine remains under attack and war with Russia.
It is the business-end phase of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, with the all-important final to be played between former two-time champion Argentina and defending two-time champion Frace at the Lusail Iconic Stadium on Sunday. The competition is set to end in a nation where its hosting was under constant criticism and scrutiny, given the allegations of the gulf nation's severe violations of human rights. Meanwhile, Ukraine remains under attack and war with Russia, which began in February this year. Ahead of the final, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy requested the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) to spread a message of world peace.
However, FIFA has given the cold shoulder to Zelenskyy's request. Since the beginning of the invasion, the Ukrainian president has tried using global events to spread messages regarding his country and ensure that it stays in focus. Meanwhile, as per CNN, while his office offered to appear during the final through a video before kick-off, it was met with a negative response, leaving Zelensky surprised.
In the meantime, the report adds that talks between Ukraine and FIFA are still happening. The latter has ensured that the sport stays away from politics, despite the WC being a political issue since the hosting rights were granted to a nation a decade ago. With Qatar giving poor treatment to migrant workers and the LGBTQ+ community, many European countries decided to don the 'OneLove' captain's armband to spread the message of solidarity, diversity and inclusivity.
However, the idea of wearing the 'OneLove' captain's armband was scrapped just hours before England's opening match amidst the threat of being sanctioned by FIFA. Meanwhile, the Russian national team and clubs remain barred from competing in the FIFA and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) events in the wake of its Ukrainian invasion.