By Kayode Ogundare:
THE AMAZING LUZHNIKI!
So Friday morning came and the main headline of the day was the Draws to determine the groups in which host Russia and the other 31 teams were going to play when hostilities kicked off at the World Cup next June.
But, just before that, there were other programmes lined up by the LOC for journalists covering the Draws. One was a tour of the Luzhniki Stadium, billed to host the opening and final games of the World Cup.
A bus was put on standby at the Ibis Hotel, FIFA’s designated hotel for participating media but I was lodged at the Arbat Hotel, some kilometers away. So I decided to catch up with the group at the Stadium rather than at the Ibis which would have meant me going in a backward direction.
With the aid of a city map, I easily located my train station and also changed trains as I navigated the cold Moscow streets all by myself.
I finally teamed up with the group at the Luzhniki even though the stadium tour was well underway. Truly, I must confess, the stadium is breathtaking.
ADVENTURES IN RUSSIA: A Reporter’s Experience At The 2018 FIFA World Cup Draws (2)
