The World Cup kicks off tomorrow in Russia, which is super exciting if you love soccer and a little depressing if you're an American who loves soccer, seeing as the US didn't qualify for the first time in 32 years. You know who will be there, though? Robbie Williams.
The veteran English pop star and Jimmy Page nemesis will perform at Thursday's opening ceremony in Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium ahead of the opening match between Russia and Saudi Arabia. According to The Telegraph, "Around 500 dancers, gymnasts and trampolinists will also be performing in an opening extravaganza that will pay homage to all things Russian." All that plus Williams selling his soul!
So says London financier Bill Browder. Reuters reports that Browder, who describes himself as Vladimir Putin's "number one enemy," condemned Williams' pending performance on Twitter earlier this week, arguing that the singer's involvement with the event will help to legitimize Putin's regime.
On Monday, Browder wrote, "Robbie Williams 'handing PR coup to Putin' by singing at World Cup opening ceremony'. I recommend he meet Sergei Magnitsky’s widow and son so he knows the victims of the dictator he’s legitimizing." Browder continued on Tuesday, "There’s lots of ways to make money @robbiewilliams, but selling your soul to a dictator shouldn’t be one of them. Shame on you." He later added, "Let’s not forget how Putin got the World Cup to Russia in the first place. It was from cheating and bribery like everything else he does." Still more, a few hours later: "In addition to legitimizing Putin by performing at the World Cup, @robbiewilliams performed for Russian oligarchs Alisher Usmanov and Roman Abramovich in Russia in the past."
Don't be surprised if Browder later adds that no amount of hand sanitizer will clean the blood off Williams' hands. Find his tweets below.
Robbie Williams 'handing PR coup to Putin' by singing at World Cup opening ceremony'. I recommend he meet Sergei Magnitsky’s widow and son so he knows the victims of the dictator he’s legitimizing https://t.co/P6smVJEPRM
— Bill Browder (@Billbrowder) June 11, 2018
There’s lots of ways to make money @robbiewilliams, but selling your soul to a dictator shouldn’t be one of them. Shame on you. This message is on behalf of Sergei Magnitsky, Boris Nemtsov, Anna Politkovskaya, Natalia Estimirova, victims of MH17, 10,000 dead Ukrainian soldiers... https://t.co/gnpKHoUxrD
— Bill Browder (@Billbrowder) June 12, 2018
Let’s not forget how Putin got the World Cup to Russia in the first place. It was from cheating and bribery like everything else he does.https://t.co/DFQbIL5slZ
— Bill Browder (@Billbrowder) June 12, 2018
In addition to legitimizing Putin by performing at the World Cup, @robbiewilliams performed for Russian oligarchs Alisher Usmanov and Roman Abramovich in Russia in the pasthttps://t.co/XXcpOWgwAR
— Bill Browder (@Billbrowder) June 13, 2018
