- Title: Putin: Russia on track to hold soccer cups at top level
- Date: 23rd May 2017
- Summary: KRASNODAR, RUSSIA (MAY 23, 2017) (REUTERS) PITCH STALLS RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN, FIFA PRESIDENT GIANNI INFANTINO AND RUSSIAN OFFICIALS WALKING ONTO PITCH VARIOUS OF PUTIN AND INFANTINO WALKING LIGHT IN COLOURS OF RUSSIAN FLAG VARIOUS OF PUTIN AND INFANTINO TALKING TO VOLUNTEERS PUTIN AND INFANTINO SURROUNDED BY MEDIA STALLS MEETING BETWEEN PUTIN AND INFANTINO IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING: "We are going to do everything in our power to ensure that facilities, accommodation, condition of stadiums in Russia, services will be provided to athletes, to fans and to everyone else are at the highest level possible." (SOUNDBITE) (English) FIFA PRESIDENT GIANNI INFANTINO, SAYING: "So if anyone had any doubt on anything - now we see the results. (PAUSING FOR TRANSLATION). Obviously as FIFA president but more importantly also as a football fan I really invite the whole world to come to Russia for the Confederations Cup, for the World Cup and to discover an incredible country." BALL (SOUNDBITE) (English) FIFA PRESIDENT GIANNI INFANTINO, SAYING: "So my really big big thank to you and to all Russian people for what you are doing for us, for football, for everyone who loves this fantastic game. It’s amazing. I am impressed and I will continue to be impressed. There is still work to do and we are doing it together. Like football which is a team sport - we are a team, we are together and we will show to the world what we can do." INFANTINO AND PUTIN TALKING
- Embargoed: 6th June 2017 16:18
- Keywords: World Cup FIFA soccer Krasnodar Russia
- Location: KRASNODAR, RUSSIA
- City: KRASNODAR, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Sport,World Cup
- Reuters ID: LVA0016I26Q87
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Russia is well on track to ensure the highest level possible of hosting the football Confederations Cup and the World Cup, President Vladimir Putin told the head of the world soccer governing body, the FIFA, on Tuesday (May 23).
Russia, which has come under several rounds of Western sanctions over the annexation of Crimea and Moscow's role in Ukraine's conflict with pro-Russian separatists, will host the FIFA Confederations Cup next month and the World Cup in 2018.
Moscow has eased visa regulations for foreign soccer fans and pumped billions of dollars into stadiums, hotels and other infrastructure as the Kremlin is struggling to improve Russia's image in its worst crisis with the West since the Cold War.
"We are going to do everything in our power to ensure that facilities, accommodation, condition of stadiums in Russia, services will be provided to athletes, to fans and to everyone else are at the highest level possible," Putin told visiting FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
The two men met in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar which is home to one of the nation's most modern stadiums belonging to Russian Premier League club FC Krasnodar. The city and the club also have a soccer academy.
Although Krasnodar will not be a venue of the upcoming international soccer tournaments, Infantino praised the local soccer facilities.
"Obviously as FIFA president but more importantly also as a football fan I really invite the whole world to come to Russia for the Confederations Cup, for the World Cup and to discover an incredible country," Infantino said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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