ENGLISH clubs should boycott the Champions League final if it isn’t moved away from Russia, Liz Truss declared today.
The foreign secretary said managers and players shouldn’t “want to be a part of” any match that takes place in St Petersburg.
Liverpool, Man City, Man Utd and Chelsea are all still in the hunt to lift the coveted European trophy.
Hosting the Champions League final is worth a £60million boost to the local economy and comes with huge prestige.
It’s one of the most watching sporting occasions in the world, and attracts a global TV audience of 380 million people.
This year’s match is due to be played at the Gazprom Arena which is sponsored by Russia’s main state-owned energy company.
Gazprom is a major sponsor of the Champions League, as well as the Euros.
Vladimir Putin uses major sporting events like the 2018 World Cup and 2014 Winter Olympics to boost his image on the world stage.
Ms Truss said today: “My view on the final in St Petersburg is it shouldn’t go ahead. If I was on an English team I would boycott it.
“Russia has denied the existence of another sovereign state, it is preparing for a full scale invasion of Ukraine.
“It’s been roundly condemned by the international community. It would be completely wrong for a football tournament to take place there.
“If I was a player I certainly wouldn’t want to be part of that.”
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Asked if club managers should consider asking their owners to boycott the game if it stays in Russia, she replied: “Yes.”
Her remarks come after Boris Johnson yesterday urged governing body UEFA to strip St Petersburg of the mega bucks clash.
He told MPs there is “no chance of holding football tournaments in a Russia that invades sovereign countries”.
Culture secretary Nadine Dorries said she’ll hold discussing with European football chiefs about moving the game.
She said: “I have serious concerns about the sporting events due to be held in Russia, such as the Champions League Final.
“We won’t allow President Putin to exploit events on the world stage to legitimise his illegal invasion of Ukraine.”
Senior Tory MPs have also demanded that Russia is stripped of the match.
Tom Tugendhat, chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, said: “Football’s scoring an own goal by associating with corrupt states.
“UEFA’s deals with Russia make it part of a cover up used by a violent, aggressive dictatorship to mask its crimes.
“It’s wrong to hold a tournament to launder St Petersburg’s reputation or allow Gazprom’s money fills its coffers.
“This is whitewashing crime and using the beautiful game for ugly plays.”
UEFA says it currently has “no plans” to change the venue but is “constantly and closely monitoring the situation”.
The 2018 final between Real Madrid and Liverpool was played in Ukraine’s capital city Kyiv.
SANCTIONS ‘PAIN’
Ms Truss today vowed Britain will “inflict pain” on Putin and his “appalling regime” over the invasion of Ukraine.
The foreign secretary said the “toughest sanctions regime we’ve ever put in place” will bite hard on the Russian economy.
She defended the UK’s response to Russian aggression after it was criticised by Tory MPs for being too weak.
But she conceded the measures will likely have little effect on the Kremlin’s thinking and an attack is “very likely”.
She suggested that Putin has already made up his mind and will send in troops and tanks “in all circumstances”.
And she warned the “autocratic” Moscow chief “won’t stop at Ukraine” as he seeks to rebuild the old Soviet empire.
Ms Truss accused the “dictatorial” Russian leader of trying to “turn the clock back to the 90s and subjugate Eastern Europe”.
She warned the West will “ratchet up” punitive measures against Moscow if he goes ahead with a full on attack.
The PM unveiled measures against five banks and three top oligarchs, plus a ban on trade with the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Ministers say the Russian Government will also be stopped from raising cash in the City of London if it doesn’t immediately “de-escalate”.
We will inflict even more pain and we will not let Putin win
Liz Truss
Russia has completely “encircled” Ukraine with more than 150,000 troops as Putin looks set to strike the country.
Moscow’s forces have been stockpiling blood and medical supplies near the border as the Kremlin eyes up an invasion.
Tanks and trucks have been on the move, fuelling fears the city of Kharkiv, the second largest in Ukraine, could be in its sights.
Joe Biden has ordered US troops, jets and helicopters to Eastern Europe in response to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of rebel-held Ukraine.
The US president said he would continue to provide “defensive assistance” to Ukraine as he sent additional forces to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Mr Biden was speaking as a huge column of around 100 military vehicles was seen in the Belgorod area, over the border from Kharkiv, raising fears Russia won’t stop at in the rebel areas.
Tanks were also seen reinforcing the two rebel held areas.
And here at home there are fears bread and fuel prices could soar if Russian tanks roll into all of Ukraine.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
