Prime Minister Theresa May told the House of Commons on Wednesday that the attempt to assassinate former spy Sergei Skripal and her daughter in Salisbury constitutes "an illegal use of force by the Russian state" against Britain.
"Given such an offense against our country, this relationship (with Russia) can not continue its current course," said May.
This implies that political leaders and members of British royalty will not go to the World Cup to be held between June 14 and July 15 in Russia. May did not mention the possibility that the English national team boycotted the tournament, something that some leaders have suggested.
The Football Association of England, whose president is Prince William, has not commented on the political tensions between Britain and Russia.
Russian football leaders reacted with indifference.
"It does not matter so much that the political leaders do not come, that's their problem," said Nikolai Simonyan, vice president of the Russian Football Union, according to the Interfax news agency. "What matters is that the team and the team come Wants to come".
