"Why Isn't the US Punished?" Irish Footballer Stands Up for Russia
Russian sport should not suffer from double standards of international organizations.
This was stated by former Irish national team footballer, participant in two European Championships Aidan McGeady, who once played for Moscow's Spartak, answering a question about what they say in Glasgow, Scotland, where he lives, about the political situation around Russia and Ukraine.
"It's hard to say. Because many people in the UK aren't very versed in this issue. As for my opinion, I generally disagree with what's happening. And I think the West may have pushed Russia into its current situation ," McGeady said in an interview with Izvestia.
He agrees with Bosnian footballer Miralj Pjanic, who called on international sport to abandon double standards in relation to Russia.
"The US has been involved in conflicts in many countries around the world, but no one has ever banned its athletes or teams from competition. They've always participated in the Olympics . And why can't Russia? Football should remain apolitical! I sincerely don't understand why players should be punished.
But you know what's interesting? Until recently, the story with Russia and Ukraine was huge, paramount, for the Western media. It was in every newspaper every day. And now, bam, it's all gone. Now, little is written or said about it ," the footballer noted.
He does not rule out that this happened because of Donald Trump's victory in the elections.
"Maybe because of that. Maybe because of the war in Gaza... You see a lot more news about that conflict now than you do about Russia and Ukraine. And before, I remember, there was news every day: Abramovich forced to sell Chelsea, Russian assets frozen, and so on. But at a certain point, everything disappeared," McGeady says.
English version :: Read in English: "Why isn't the US being punished?" – Irish footballer stands up for Russia