The possibility of Russia being deprived of the right to host the 2018 World Cup: A conspiracy against ... Putin?

WORLD CUP

Shortly after the bomb exploded at FIFA headquarters, Western media reported that Russia and Qatar would be stripped of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.And last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin affirmed Russia did nothing wrong in the 2018 World Cup and said the recent moves by US authorities to the World Football Federation (FIFA) was a conspiracy. Against Russia.

YES or NO DISCUSSION?
In his televised speeches from the Kremlin, Putin said it was "weird" when the United States again investigated and prosecuted 14 football officials for bribery and corruption charges when events took place outside. America and mainly related to foreign citizens. Russia "has nothing to do with this," Putin said.

The Russian president said the move was to bring down Sepp Blatter, the current president of FIFA, and also make it difficult for Russia to host the 2018 World Cup. "As we all know, Just yesterday, FIFA elected president and Mr Blatter got a big chance of being re-elected, "Putin said. "We all know the pressure on him is huge to prevent him from handing over the 2018 World Cup to Russia."

US $ FROM RIVER TO SEA?
The 2018 World Cup is meaningful to Putin and Russia is more than the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, which Russia spent $ 50 billion to host, more than 25 percent more than the cost of hosting the 2008 Beijing Olympics, The most expensive Olympic season until 2014.

Hosting the World Cup will cost at least $ 40 billion, which means a lot of jobs, investment and national prestige. In the difficult situation of the current Russian economy, all three are necessary.

Financial expert Vladimir Osakovskiy of US bank Merrill Lynch estimates a World Cup will bring the Russian economy $ 50 billion. "The recent economic downturn has affected Russia's ambitions," said Chris Weafer of consulting firm Macro Advisory. "Even before the FIFA scandal, they also had to reduce the size of their projects."

CLEAN UP WORLD CUP 2018?
Calls to boycott the 2018 World Cup in Russia not only take place after Blatter resigned. Earlier, many Western countries have also questioned about a World Cup in Russia.

However, both Mr Putin and Mr Blatter held firm stance. "If some politicians are not happy with hosting the World Cup in Russia, I always say they should stay home," Blatter said after a meeting with Putin in Sochi in May 2015.

Strong for rice, brutal for money, "Russia and FIFA are not too concerned even in the World Cup financiers. The top sponsors of the Visa, Adidas, Coca-Cola and McDonalds tournaments all have expressed concern over the past events, but the big possibility is that they will not retreat from the World Cup. Where is the function In addition, Gazprom, Russia's state-owned giant energy conglomerate and another major FIFA sponsor, said they were not concerned about the Zurich arrests.

"Russia will continue preparations for the 2018 World Cup," Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said after Mr Blatter's resignation. "Every plan has been implemented, everything is on schedule." Asked if Russia is concerned about the right to host the World Cup, Peskov said: "We do not know who will be the head of FIFA, but there is no rush."

"They attack FIFA but the ultimate goal is Russia" - the cover of the Russian daily newspaper Argumenty I Fakty. "Bad relations between Russia and the West are the main reason," the newspaper quoted Russian Speaker Igor Lebedev as saying. State newspaper Rossiiskaya Gazeta accused the United States of following Mr Blatter's resignation: "The United States has never given up efforts to overthrow the people they do not like. And this time too. "