Support The Moscow Times!

Argentina's Ambassador Assures Safe World Cup in Russia

Andrei Kiselyov / Moskva News Agency

As an Islamic State (IS) poster of an Argentinian footballer crying blood circulates the web, Argentina’s ambassador to Russia said the 2018 World Cup will be safe to visit next summer, ESPN reported Thursday.

The poster, released Oct. 24 by a pro-IS media outlet, depicts Lionel Messi behind bars crying tears of blood. The caption next to his face reads, “You are fighting a state that does not have failure in its dictionary.”

Ambassador Ricardo Lagorio responded to this terrorist attack threat by reiterating that the World Cup will be safe and that football fans should not be afraid to visit Russia during the tournament in June and July 2018.

“The aim [of the latest pro-ISIS propaganda] is to frighten people but all the Argentinians that intend to come should come to the World Cup and do so without fear,” Lagorio said.

“I would like to call for calm and to ask people that will come from all over the world to do so without concerns."

Argentina qualified for the international tournament earlier in October. Its national team will travel to Moscow for an international friendly at Luzhniki Stadium on Nov. 11 against the host nation.

IS, a terrorist group banned in Russia, has claimed responsibility for several attacks on Russian territory since the group came to prominence in Syria and Iraq three years ago.

“I have no doubt that the Russian government and the Russian [football] federation will fully guarantee the safety of the World Cup, of the fans and of the tourists,” Lagorio said.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more