Business Insider
A source close to Zelenskyy’s office told the news outlet that President Zelenskyy offered to appear in a video broadcast to fans watching the World Cup final on Sunday in Qatar, but FIFA executives have denied the offer.
“We thought FIFA wanted to use its platform for the greater good,” the anonymous source told CNN, adding they were surprised by the rejection.
Since Putin invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Zelenskyy has used major global events and international stages to highlight the plight of Ukrainian citizens and armed forces.
He has spoken at the British Parliament and Congress, the Cannes Film Festival, the G20 summit, and celebrity fundraisers for Ukrainians.
The World Cup stage at Qatar’s Lusail Stadium would have been an opportunity for the president to call attention to the Ukrainian cause, but that sentiment is allegedly not shared by FIFA’s bosses.
FIFA did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.
The FIFA World Cup has been a source of political controversy since it named Qatar as host, with outrage surrounding the country’s stark violations of workers’ rights, as well as harsh rejections of the rights of gay people.
