Ukrainian MPs propose to ban broadcasting of FIFA 2018 World Cup in Russia
Four deputies of the Verkhovna Rada proposed to prohibit the broadcasting of 2018 FIFA World Cup that will be held in Russia,as stated in draft resolution Number 8343, submitted to the Verkhovna Rada on May 11.
The authors of the document are the chairman of the Radical Party faction, Oleh Lyashko and the party deputies, Ihor Mosiychuk and Andriy Lozovyi, as well as the chairman of the Union Self Reliance faction, Oleh Bereziuk.
Deputies proposed that broadcasting the matches "violates the legitimate rights and interests of Ukrainian citizens as a result of armed aggression and the temporary occupation of part of Ukraine by Russia." For that reason, the provisions of the Law on Television and Radio Broadcasting would forbid Ukrainian television and radio organizations from broadcasting the 2018 World Cup.
Earlier, the head of the National Public Television and Radio Company of Ukraine, Zurab Alasania said that the state broadcaster will not show the World Cup held in Russia and is considering selling the television rights to another channel. In one of the interviews, Alasania said that there is a roughly 70% chance of seeing the World Cup 2018 on Ukrainian TV.
In March, Inter TV showed interested in purchasing the broadcasting rights but they have not yet completed the deal. At the same time, the specialized channels Football 1 and Football 2 said earlier that they would not acquire the right to show the 2018 World Cup.