from Ken Warren of the Ottawa Citizen,

Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk is spearheading an international movement to boycott the products of major sponsors, including Budweiser and Anheuser-Busch InBev, until the 2018 World Cup is moved away from Russia.

Melnyk, always outspoken about Russia’s invasion into Ukraine and annexation of Crimea, is livid at the hypocrisy of FIFA — soccer’s governing body — for allowing the country to stage the tournament while Russian president Vladimir Putin is waging war.

“(Putin) has no right to have that,” Melnyk, chairman of the Advisory Committee for United with Ukraine, said in a telephone interview Wednesday.
Melnyk suggests Putin is trampling on the tournament ideals of global unity and peace.

“It goes against every possible theme of soccer and the World Cup and what it’s supposed to stand for,” he said....

Melnyk’s parents escaped Ukraine and met in Toronto in the early 1950′s and he grew up hearing countless stories about the Soviet invasion of their homeland. His paternal grandmother was thrown out of her home by Soviet officials. Melnyk has supported a variety of causes and charities in Ukraine. He distrusts Putin and worries about the country’s future.

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