Dmytro Kuleba made the remark in an Instagram post on Sunday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
Earlier in the day, Argentina beat France on penalties to win the 2022 World Cup in front of nearly 89,000 spectators at Lusail Stadium near Doha in Qatar.
On Friday, US broadcaster CNN reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office had asked FIFA to let the head of state share “a message of peace” with World Cup viewers ahead of the Argentina vs. France game, but FIFA’s response was negative.
Kuleba said after the match that FIFA had “again shown hypocrisy” by claiming that "sport is outside politics."
The Ukrainian foreign minister argued that the “sport is outside politics” slogan “has always been, and remains, a cover for ordinary cowardice.”
He stated: “This becomes most obvious in matters of peace and war. Especially such an unjust war as Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Where the line between black and white, between good and evil is so obvious.”
Zelensky’s message was shared by Ukraine’s foreign ministry on Twitter before the World Cup final, Britain’s The Independent newspaper reported.
Ukrainian officials said there was "still time for FIFA to show the video before the game that unites people and symbolises fairplay,” adding: “Don’t be afraid that the world will hear the words of peace."
In the message, Zelensky appealed for a global peace summit this winter, news outlets said.
The Ukrainian president stated: “We offered a peace formula to the world. Absolutely fair. We offered it because there are no champions in war, there can be no draw.”
He added, as quoted by The Independent on its website: “I announce the initiative to hold a Global Peace Formula Summit this winter. The summit to unite all nations of the world around the cause of global peace. Stadiums get empty after the match, and after the war cities remain empty."
Zelensky said later on Sunday: “The Ukrainian Peace Formula consists of 10 clear points capable of creating a new, globally important security architecture, which will restore freedom to our entire Ukrainian land, to all our people. And which will serve as guarantees of freedom and security for other nations.”
First outlined by Zelensky in a virtual address to the leaders of the Group of 20 nations in November, the Ukrainian Peace Formula foresees holding those responsible for war crimes to account, the withdrawal of all Russian troops from Ukraine and the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, among other points, the PAP news agency reported.
Monday is day 299 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: PAP, independent.co.uk, president.gov.ua