Citizens of South Ossetia cannot buy tickets for the 2018 FIFA World Cup because FIFA does not recognize the Republic, "told the Res news agency the Chairman of the Committee on Youth Policy, Sport and Tourism Sergei Zasseev.
He has noted that the restrictions affected not only South Ossetia, but also Abkhazia, the Republic of Crimea, as FIFA does not consider it a part of Russia.
But, nevertheless, according to Zasseev, there is a way out.
"Probably, FIFA has not taken into account that most South Ossetian citizens are simultaneously citizens of Russia. Therefore, everyone can buy tickets with the Russian passport, "Zasseev said.
The head of the sports department has stressed that FIFA is making the same mistakes as the International Olympic Committee in its decision on the Russian national team, thus violating the rules of international law and the statute of FIFA.
"We are already talking about bias and excessive politicization. Instead of popularizing this sport and creating all the conditions for the fans, they, on the contrary, are engaged in politics that in this case is out of place," stressed Zasseev.
