Many sports associations have prepared the big stage for Putin’s Russia in recent years. The 2013 World Athletics Championships in Moscow, the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, the 2018 Soccer World Cup and the 2021 European Championships in St. Petersburg or the Formula 1 appearances in Sochi were just the most influential of many examples. Images of a modern and supposedly open country went around the world.
Human rights activists were ignored
While human rights activists denounced the restrictions on freedom of expression and the arrests of opposition figures, FIFA boss Infantino enthused that the world fell in love with Russia at the 2018 World Cup. A year later, Putin awarded the Swiss a friendship medal. Infantino finally avoided the question of whether he would now send this medal back.
Putin, meanwhile, is said to return some of the honors because of the attack on Ukraine. The IOC stripped him of his gold medal at the Olympics, the International Judo Federation withdrew his honorary presidency, and the World Taekwondo Federation reclaimed his honorary black belt. Does that make Putin turn back in Ukraine? “Sport has served its purpose here. Whatever he does from now on, what’s really certain is that Vladimir Putin won’t listen.”commented the British “Guardians“.
Oligarch assets frozen
The most recent sanctions lists also include the names of a number of officials who were ultimately supposed to secure Russia’s power and influence in world sport. The EU froze the assets of the oligarch Alisher Usmanov, who has led the World Fencing Federation since 2009 and has been supporting it with millions. Dmitri Chernyshenko, head of organization at the Sochi Games in 2014, was also sanctioned by the EU as a supporter of the attack on Ukraine.
Vladimir Lissin, head of the International Shooting Federation, and Umar Kremlev, who heads the World Association of Amateur Boxers, are also considered close to Putin. Kremlev was once a member of the nationalist motorcycle rocker club, the Night Wolves. His rise to the top of AIBA was made possible by a substantial cash injection from Gazprom, which was used to pay off the association’s debts.
Gazprom plays a key role
The state energy giant played a central role in the sporting power game for Russia. According to estimates, Gazprom is said to have transferred at least 40 million euros to the European football union UEFA every year. CEO Alexander Dyukov is also a member of the UEFA leadership. Under pressure from the public, UEFA and second division side FC Schalke 04 have now renounced the donor Gazprom.