Gary Lineker says he stopped working with FIFA after being asked to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. The comments relate to an incident connected to his role hosting the draw for the 2018 World Cup. Lineker says the request left him unwilling to continue with FIFA work and that he took steps to avoid the meeting.
The two reports describe the same underlying account but use different phrasing. The Independent says Lineker refused to work with FIFA following the request, while the Mirror characterizes the FIFA decision as blacklisting and adds that the meeting request made the situation “uncomfortable.” Both accounts frame the episode as an interaction involving Putin during the World Cup draw period.
Neither outlet provides further detail in the excerpts about the internal process behind Lineker’s departure from FIFA, how FIFA responded at the time, or whether any official statement was issued. The coverage centers on Lineker’s description of the circumstances and his decision afterward.
