Russians urged to find love during World Cup

MOSCOW (AP):

After a lawmaker received backlash on social media for advising Russian women against getting involved with football fans from different countries and races, one of her colleagues is urging love and procreation during the tournament.

"The more love stories we have connected to the world championship, the more people from different countries fall in love, the more children are born, the better," state news agency Tass quoted parliament member Mikhail Degtyaryov as telling reporters Thursday.

Degtyaryov appeared to be doing damage control after lawmaker Tamara Pletnyova warned Russian women Wednesday to think twice before entering into casual relationships with foreign tourists because they may end up rearing children alone. Pletnyova, who heads a parliamentary committee on children and families, also suggested that Russian women should marry local men and said that children born from mixed-race marriages are unhappy.

"We should have our own children. These children then go on to suffer, you know that well. They've suffered since the Soviet times. You are lucky if they are from the same race, but if they are from a difference race, then it's even more," she said, cutting herself short in the end.