Syria, Russia and Fifa

Day -989. WorldCup2018‬.

Allow me to be hypothetical. The Syrian football team is accepted as being made up only of players who support President Assad (this bit isn't hypothetical). Players who have fled to Syria have formed a Free Syria team and applied to be recognised by Fifa (still not hypothetical).

Russia is allegedly bombing the Islamic rebels in Syria. Who they are really bombing is hard to tell and it's hard to believe who is telling the truth. So Russia bombs Assad's opponents, Assad gets stronger, football continues to be played in Damascus, his loyal people see football as a sign of how great a President he is and Assad says to Fifa, "look, why can't our national team play it's home matches in Damascus again?" Assad's good friend, President Putin has a word with his friends at Fifa, the same friends who helped get him his world cup. Fifa, never wanting to be involved in international politics but at the same time wanting to be seen as a peacemaker say, "thanks to the efforts of Putin and Assad, the civil war is ending in Syria and having Syria play at home again will be great for the country". 

Of course the civil war hasn't ended. It's just that Putin's bombs have slowed down the opposition. Now other countries have no choice but to play the qualifying matches in Syria. Ah, but they do have a choice. One opposing team is told by its government, "no way are you going to play there and look to be supporting Assad". They refuse to play with the righteous people at Fifa awarding Syria the win. That "win" puts Syria in a very strong position to qualify. The next opponents think, "we don't want to go either", but their government, fearful of the backlash (from Fifa or other countries sympathetic to Syria) leave it up to their players to decide. Half of them decide not to go.
The weakened team loses, Syria win again and qualify for the World Cup in Russia. Assad, still unbelievably in power, goes to Russia for the World Cup and to thank his friend Putin. The world watches in disbelief that they allowed this to happen.

World Cup ends and Putin goes quietly back to finishing the job in Ukraine.
http://www.thenational.ae/…/football-in-times-of-crisis-syr…