Should We Boycott The World Cup?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-43398549

TBH the Quartermaster has a point here, sport should not suffer for politics and going by our performances since 1990 we’ll be home soon enough anyway.

[Ken4155]

It would only make a difference and shame Russia if most of the European teams boycott the tournament alongside us. Otherwise it would just be another empty gesture.

[youngmafbog]

No. It is a pointless exercise.

[naomi24]

No.

[anneasquith]

Yes, Russia will be distraught. !

[ichkeria]

No I don't think the team should.
Very interestingly though, an editor of some German tabloid (Bild?) was interviewed yesterday, and amazingly he was in favour of Germany and other countries doing just that.

[dannyk13]

Provided that enough other countries do, then yes.Imposing a boycott unilaterally would not have much effect.

[ludwig]

We'd be the only ones doing it so there's no point.

[sunny-dave]

Surely it would be better to turn up, win the thing and then very publicly refuse to accept the trophy from Fuhrer Putin ... ?

Or is there a flaw in my logic ... ?

[youngmafbog]

Yes SD, we would have to persuade the country that wins it to relinquish the trophy.

[Jahulaye]

Boycotting the World Cup just has to be the most stupidest idea I’ve ever heard!

Withdraw from the world cup?

So punish our footballers, fans and nation?

The only reasons the politicians are thinking about this is because football on the whole isn’t taxed on the whole so will not be losing millions if not billions by this ludicrous id a.

“The UK should hit Russia "in the pocket" rather than withdrawing from the World Cup ”

This is grasping at straws now.


Do we have proof that the poisoning was state sponsored and not from a “lone wolf revenge attack” from one of the many hundreds of agents whose careers/lives he endangered/wrecked?

The Kremlin must be splitting their sides at our running around to benny hill music in panic trying to work out how this puny weak bulldog can make a scratch on the mighty bear.

I’m embarrassed for the uk government who has now made the uk the official laughing stock of the world.

[Garaman]

A World Cup wouldn't be the same without that silly few minutes when you delude yourself that we might actually do well.

[ichkeria]

A rogue element was responsible for this act there’s no doubt.
That rogue element is the mafia Russian state.
But the England team boycotting the World Cup is not the right thing to do. The failure of politicians earlier to intervene with strong action against said mafia state should not now be used to punish our own football fans. And players. Because that is all it would do.

[Bazile]

No

I think we should expel 23 Russian diplomats , instead

[Cloverjo]

If it was the Olympics I'd say definitely NO. Athletes have dedicated their lives to competing in a prestigious event. I'm not a football fan though, so don't know how heartbroken the footballers and fans would be if we boycotted the World Cup.
In general I don't agree with sport getting involved in politics.

[ToraToraTora]

Nice bit of anti british denigration jahulaye where would we be without your kind eh? Good job our forefathers didn’t have your genes.

[Mamyalynne]

No.

[Jahulaye]

There we go with the speculation that it was state sponsored and not a lone wolf or indeed another nation trying to frame Russia.

With all this mass hysteria I’m surprised there aren’t more votes to stop us going to the World Cup in case our footballers if doing well aren’t “nobbled” themselves.

[ichkeria]

It isn’t speculation

[sunny-dave]

Either :

a: Russia has carried out the act

b: Russia sold the nerve agent to someone else and they did it

c: Russia has lost control of a significant quantity of one of the most deadly substances known to man - and then the current owners randomly 'took out' one of Mr Putin's most hated enemies

I'd go with (a), can just about believe (b), but find (c) just about as ridiculous as believing that Mr Putin will win a fair and democratically transparent election next week.

[Jahulaye]

“It isn’t speculation”

Proof?

Sources?