DISINFO: Handbook for Journalists Covering World Cup is Russophobia
SUMMARY
“The initiative that seems to be useful at first glance and aimed at helping sports observers cover the main football event occurring every four years actually turned out to be nothing but more Russophobia, trivial anti-Russian stereotypes.”
RESPONSE
Russophobia is a common explanation to criticism towards Russia in pro-Kremlin disinformation euvsdisinfo.eu/disinformation-cases/?text=Russophobia&disinfo_issue=&date=, , euvsdisinfo.eu/the-russophobia-myth-appealing-to-the-lowest-feelings/, The Russian Foreign Ministry said the handbook for journalists covering this year’s World Cup, which will be held next month in Russia, is “nothing but more Russophobia” and a “collection of trivial anti-Russian stereotypes.” The handbook was produced by the Norwegian Helsinki Commission, together with other global rights watchdog groups, including Amnesty International and the Human Rights Foundation. The Norwegian Helsinki Commission is part of the human rights monitoring network within the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. What Zakharova calls a “collection of trivial anti-Russian stereotypes” is actually a collection of facts documenting abuses of rights and freedoms committed by the Russian state -- both during preparations for the 2018 World Cup and more broadly -- as well as racist behavior by Russian soccer fans. Futher debunking by Polygraph.info