"Trump has sowed discord in Europe with his takeover bid for Greenland -- a semiautonomous territory of NATO member Denmark -- and his subsequent threat to impose tariffs on eight European countries who opposed the takeover. It left many of America's closest allies warning of a rupture with Washington capable of shattering the NATO alliance. "What were the justifications for the boycotts of the Olympic Games in the 1980s?" Göttlich said. "By my reckoning the potential threat is greater now than it was then. We need to have this discussion.""
"The United States is co-hosting the World Cup from June 11-July 19 with Canada and Mexico. Fans have concerns about high ticket prices, while travel bans imposed by the Trump administration are also prohibiting supporters from some competing nations from attending. Göttlich, who has called for the defense of values, is likely to meet resistance to calls for a boycott from federation president Bernd Neuendorf and FIFA president Gianni Infantino."
"France's sport minister Marina Ferrari said earlier this week that her country was not currently considering a boycott over tensions related to Greenland, but did not rule it out in the future. "At the moment we are speaking, there is no desire from the ministry to boycott this major, much-anticipated competition," she told reporters on Tuesday. "That said, I am not prejudging what might happen.""
Oke Göttlich, vice president of the German Football Federation and president of Bundesliga club St. Pauli, urged seriously considering a World Cup boycott because of actions by U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump’s Greenland takeover bid and threats to impose tariffs on European countries provoked warnings of a rupture with Washington and potential harm to NATO ties. Göttlich compared the situation to Olympic boycotts of the 1980s and called for a formal discussion. The United States co-hosts the World Cup with Canada and Mexico amid fan concerns about ticket costs and travel bans. Some officials, including France’s sport minister, are not currently planning a boycott but have not ruled one out.
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