I was pleased and impressed with your editorial “Red card for anti-Russian tantrums” which reflects my views so often expressed by me in my letters. Our nauseating tabloid press and ignorant, politically motivated politicians spoiled the world cup for English team, as we have one of the fewest supporters in the stadium to watch our young team doing so well on the pitch.
Many black supporters were put-off going to Russia to support our team by the media misinformation and propaganda, fearing mistreatment and discrimination, even physical assault by so called Russian hooligans.
Some three thousand fans, who ignored the dire warning and went to Russia to support our team, are having a wonderful time. Russian people have taken them to their hearts, many invited to their homes for tea and chat and no one has faced any discrimination or backlash for our government’s anti-Russian propaganda.
Russian fans even mingled with English supporters and cheered English team on the pitch. According to our fans, they have never enjoyed such a wonderful welcome and friendly atmosphere in any previous world cup they attended. Russian people have taken Putin’s message of welcoming visitors, treating them with respect, opening their hearts and homes to their hearts.
This is in sharp contrast to our black footballers assaulted in Poland and Kiev, our white supporters throwing out a black passenger on Paris Metro, yet the media have rarely warned our supporters not to visit these countries. I wonder how our MPs who advocated the boycott of Russia with unbelievable frenzy, now feels at the sight of our fans having a wonderful time, enjoying Russian hospitality and visiting historic sites in Leningrader, Moscow and Volgograd. This world cup has done wonders for Russian prestige on international stage, as some 700,000 fans who are in Russia would be “Goodwill Ambassadors” and many will return to Russia as tourists or to attend future sports event.
Bhupendra M. Gandhi
By email
