Fifa president Sepp Blatter is resolute Russia can have the best World
Cup ever in 2018, notwithstanding their political issues.
Russia's adding of eastern Ukraine a year ago started fierce fights in the middle of supporters and separatists, with real city Donetsk a shell of its previous self because of the keeping battling.
Inside the Eurasian country, laws criminalizing homosexuality and the apparent poor treatment of ethnic minorities has pulled in overwhelming feedback from outside observers.
Financial authorizations have been taken by different countries against Russia, yet Blatter is declining to notice calls from a few quarters for Fifa to strip them of its World Cup facilitating rights.
The Swiss football boss met with Russia president Vladimir Putin on Monday and expressed - in front of one month from now's Fifa administration races - that governmental issues and game ought not blend.
"I am a happy and proud president," Blatter told Tass in host city Sochi, which held the last Winter Olympics. "I am proud that Russia is getting ready to host the World Cup.
"A lot of this is happening thanks to president Vladimir Putin, but also due to the sports minister Vitaly Mutko and chief executive of the Local Organising Committee Alexei Sorokin. They are a true team and have a wonderful working relationship.
"Some people want the World Cup to be taken away from Russia but we will give one answer to this: we are involved in football and we will not allow politics to get in the way.
"Everything is going to plan and nothing will get in the way of Russia hosting the best World Cup ever. The economic situation is not the best but I know it will get better.
"The main thing is that the people of Russia are organising this tournament. The people want this championship to go ahead and I personally feel this."
Controversy at World Cups is far from out of the ordinary. Last year there were mass protests around Brazil over the government spending billions on hosting the tournament despite widespread poverty.
Tags
Football