{"id":8335,"date":"2025-03-25T19:17:25","date_gmt":"2025-03-25T19:17:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/betwealthsuretips.com\/blog\/totti-responds-to-huge-controversy-over-russia-event-on-april-8\/"},"modified":"2025-03-25T19:17:25","modified_gmt":"2025-03-25T19:17:25","slug":"totti-responds-to-huge-controversy-over-russia-event-on-april-8","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/betwealthsuretips.com\/blog\/totti-responds-to-huge-controversy-over-russia-event-on-april-8\/","title":{"rendered":"Totti responds to huge controversy over Russia event on April 8"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"WUHAN,<\/picture><\/div>\n

WUHAN, CHINA – NOVEMBER 26: Former Italian football player Francesco Totti reacts during the 2023 World Super-footballer Games between American Star Team and European Star Team at Wuhan Sports Center on November 26, 2023 in Wuhan, China. (Photo by Wang He\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Francesco Totti released a statement responding to criticism about his upcoming visit to Russia and refused to accept a joke award about the controversial incident.<\/p>\n

The Roma legend and 2006 World Cup winner for Italy is scheduled to be the guest of honour at an awards ceremony in Moscow on April 8.<\/p>\n

Considering the invasion of neighbouring Ukraine and the on-going attacks, which saw Russia excluded from all sporting events, the decision to be part of this event sparked a furious reaction from fans and politicians in Italy.<\/p>\n

Totti hits back at critics of Russia trip<\/h2>\n
\"GENOA,<\/picture>
GENOA, ITALY \u2013 SEPTEMBER 28: Francesco Totti, former captain of Roma, reacts prior to kick-off in the Serie A TIM match between Genoa CFC and AS Roma at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on September 28, 2023 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Simone Arveda\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Now Totti has spoken to news agency Ansa in response to the criticism.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy work trip to Moscow has for days sparked infinite controversy, but I am not a politician, nor a diplomat.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am a man of sport who promotes these values all over the world. I have always done that: first as a player and now in this new role. For years, I\u2019ve gone to any country that invited me to talk about sport and I would have no problem going to Kyiv to do the same.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving said that, if I received a request from the authorities not to participate in the Moscow event, I would not hesitate one moment to take a step back.<\/p>\n

\u201cI find anything else to be hypocrisy and speculation from those who want to gain visibility by using my name.\u201d<\/p>\n

Italian television show Striscia La Notizia has for decades handed out the Tapiro d\u2019Oro trophy as a joke award to people who had some bad news coverage.<\/p>\n

Totti has been given many over the years, but this time he refused to play along.<\/p>\n

While presenter Valerio Staffelli walked alongside him down the road asking questions, Totti did not say a word, nor did he accept the golden tapir made of polystyrene.<\/p>\n