Polish officials to skip World Cup opening in Russia: report

Poland does not accept the foreign policy of the Kremlin and will not send any official representive to the tournament’s opening match in Moscow on June 14, the Polish ambassador, Włodzimierz Marciniak, said, as cited by public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency.

The European Union has imposed sanctions on Russia over its 2014 annexation of Crimea and support for rebels in eastern Ukraine.

The IAR news agency cited Marciniak as saying, however, that he was planning to attend matches played by the Polish national team during the tournament.

IAR reported it was not known if any other Polish official would travel to Russia to watch Poland matches.

An aide to President Andrzej Duda said in March that the Polish head of state would not attend the opening ceremony of the football World Cup in Russia in June.

The announcement came amid an international outcry over a suspected nerve agent attack in southern England earlier that month.

The World Cup kicks off on Thursday with a match between the host nation and Saudi Arabia at Moscow’s Luzhniki stadium.

Teams from 32 nations will play a total of 64 matches at 12 stadiums in 11 Russian cities during the World Cup, which will run until July 15.

Poland will take on Senegal, Colombia and Japan in the group stage of the tournament.

The Poles are due to open their campaign against Senegal at Moscow's Spartak stadium on June 19.

Manager Adam Nawałka's men will next take on Colombia in Kazan on June 24 and play Japan in Volgograd four days later.

Polish football fans heading for the World Cup in Russia have been warned of a terror threat in that country.

(gs/pk)

Source: IAR