World Cup 2018: Russia and racism

Despite a campaign to highlight racism in Russia and a hard fought lobbying effort by the British Prime Minister David Cameron, Prince William and footballer David Beckham England has failed in its bid to secure hosting the 2018 World Cup tournament.

Some might ask whether England’s bid was undermined by the recent persecution of African nationals who sat on FIFA’s board by UK representatives, many of whom would have garnered the support of African Caribbean communities in the UK.

While England’s London 2012 bid was supported by Denise Lewis and Christine Ohugio, black athletes and footballers’ were conspicuously absent from the 2018 FIFA bid. This comes after recent allegations of racism in Russia. Speaking in the run up to the 2018 World Bid announcement OBV’s Simon Woolley said:

“Russian racism is out of control and it is beyond comprehension that FIFA would fail to raise this issue in their recent visit. The evidence of extreme and violent racism in Russia is overwhelming and it would be inconceivable that these issues were not discussed. The risk of racist murders and violent attacks on people attending a World Cup in Russia is so high that I believe death or serious injury is inevitable if they win the bid.”

Woolley went on to write to FIFA expressing serious concerns “about Russian racism, the state’s failure to effectively deal with racism and the acute danger posed to football fans from across the world".

According to a Russian human rights group Sova, there has been over 80 people murdered and more than 300 injured or seriously injured over the last few years. The Director of Sova, Alexander Verkhovsky stated; "We have a very high level of general ethnic intolerance in this country…these figures are far from the true picture".

Returning to Russia - the successful hosts for 2018 - key questions will be asked: How will they present this global event; how will they address the disreputable and racist reputation and evidence of Russian fans on the terrace and in wider society; and how will the leadership address their wider inequality and blatant racism in Russian society?

Going back to England's 2018 bid the question is whether having a Black Ambassador would have made a difference, whether a lack of promotion of the UK's unique demographic meant England missed out on the right to host the 2018 World Cup.

Ashok Viswanathan