(L-R) Brazil's Neymar fights for the ball with Colombia's Juan Cuadrado and Mario Yepes during their 2014 World Cup quarter-finals at the Castelao arena in Fortaleza July 4, 2014.
Juan Cuadrado to be given the green light to move on, should Fiorentina's asking price be met REUTERS/Marcelo Del Pozo

There is a growing clamour for Russia to be stripped of its winning the bid to host the 2018 World Cup as part of political sanction over Moscow's deployment of troops in Russia. British Prime Minister David Cameron is spearheading the move, reports Daily Mail.

The pressure on FIFA is just one of symbolic policies the west is placing on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the conflict which has caused the death of about 2,600 people.

A senior European diplomat has confirmed that the idea of preventing Russia the honour of hosting the World Cup cropped during talks among European leaders. "Britain especially has pushed it as a way of taking broader and more imaginative measures against Russia," Daily Mail quoted the diplomat."

A senior EU official added, "The existing sanctions have not yet changed Russian behaviour and we need to be more imaginative."

Besides the World Cup 2018 hosting, other sanctions that were raised including ousting Mr Putin from the G20 or ASEM meetings among Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. But the bigger threat is if FIFA would revoke the World Cup 2018 hosting because he would lose popular support if Russia does not host the international sports competition.

In July, Mr Putin still had the support of FIFA, which then said it was committed to hold the World Cup in 2018 in Russia, explaining that "boycotting sports events or a policy of isolation or confrontation are not the most effective ways to solve problems."

The Russian president added, "FIFA has already said soccer and sport are outside politics and I think that is the right approach."

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