Francesco Totti, the king of Roman football, sparks controversy with his trip to Moscow to promote a sports betting platform. This headline made it to the front page of the Financial Times. Massive billboards in the Russian capital advertised the arrival of the retired captain of AS Roma, prompting Italian critics to urge Totti to reconsider his plans, warning that the trip could bolster the Kremlin at a critical time for Ukraine and Europe as a whole, according to the British newspaper. Totti is the guest of honor at an April 8th corporate event organized by Bookmaker Ratings, an online platform dedicated to the world of Russian sports betting.
Digital billboards promoting the event read: “The Emperor travels to the Third Rome,” a popular nickname for Moscow adopted by Russian nationalists who see contemporary Russia as a Christian empire that will surpass ancient Rome, as reported by the Ft. Appeals in Italy have multiplied to dissuade the former footballer from going to Moscow. A spokesperson for Totti told the London newspaper that the Moscow gala was “just a sporting event,” but the retired footballer had made “all necessary evaluations” before departing. Nona Mikhelidze of the Institute of International Affairs, however, believes that “Totti’s decision to go there speaks volumes about Italy’s lack of empathy towards human suffering in Ukraine.”
The Totti case, notes the Ft, “comes amid deep divisions within Italy and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government coalition over Rome’s continued support for Kiev.” The City’s newspaper observes that “while Meloni has been an explicit supporter of Ukraine, the Italian public is becoming tired of the conflict and there is little enthusiasm for Italian involvement in any European peace mission or for the continent’s military spending.”
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