Summary
A top Russian senator said Thursday he had credible evidence of the United States plotting to "discredit" the 2018 World Cup his country is staging for the first time.
The claim came as Russia prepares to host the June 14-July 15 global showpiece in the heat of a diplomatic war with the West over disputes ranging from Ukraine and Syria to Moscow's alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
The United States did not qualify for the World Cup and will thus avoid the politically-charged potential of facing Russia at a time when their diplomatic relations are near a post-Cold War low.
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