All for the year 2005 a winner’s ring Super Bowl ended up in the hands of the Russian president Vladimir Putin. The story changes depending on who is telling it, although most believe that the Russian leader stole the coveted treasure by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Putin stole it or Kraft gave it to him? Was it all a misunderstanding?
The thing is that Kraft went along with the then president of Citigroup, Sandy Weillthe media tycoon Rupert Murdoch and other entrepreneurs, to a meet with Putin in 2005 in an attempt to “stimulate trade between the United States and Russia.”
During a press conference at the Konstantinovsky Palace near Saint Petersburg, Weil allegedly suggested to Kraft that he show Putin his Super Bowl XXXIX ring., the third the Patriots had won in four years. The owner of the ‘Pats’ handed it over to the Russian leader, who admired the 4.94-carat ring and allegedly said: “I could kill someone with this ring”while placing it on his finger.
Kraft responds: “You could kill someone without him. You were the head of the KGB”, as he extended his hand for the ring to return back. However, according to witnesses, Putin put the ring in his pocket.. This narrative that the president allegedly stole Kraft’s ring is the one circulating in the newspapers at the time.
According to Jeff Benedict, who wrote a book about the Patriots (The Dynasty) and has contributed to Sports Illustrated, New York Times, 60 minutes, CBS or Good Morning America, Kraft received a call from the administration of then President George Bush, urging him to put an end to the story.. Apparently, the White House was uncomfortable with the idea that Putin had kept the ring of a high-profile American right under his nose and without anyone saying anything.
Angry at losing his ring, Kraft swallowed and partly confirmed the story by stating, “President Putin, a huge sports fan and connoisseur, was clearly captivated by the uniqueness of the ring. I decided to give it to him as a symbol of the respect and admiration I have for the Russian people and their leadership.”.
On 2013Kraft recalled the episode during a gala and confirmed the version that almost everyone knew, the one that had always circulated in the United States. “I extended my hand and he put the ring in his pocket. At the same time three KGB guys surrounded him and left. I had an emotional bond with that object, which also had my name on it”, pointed out the owner of the ‘Pats’. A spokesman for the Kremlin came out in defense of the honor of its president, to point out: “I heard how Mr. Kraft gave you this ring as a gift”.
On 2017the New England franchise owner still dreamed of his iconic 2005 championship ring, to the point of securing in Fox News what was “willing to make one with his name [el de Putin]”and was confident that “the new president” [Donald Trump]once he dealt with his Russian counterpart, he played intermediary. Of course, we already know who still has the ring.
To the Russian leader, since he is president, only the mothers of the crew members of the submarino Kursk have dared to reprimand him in a public face-to-face. Well, they and who was the richest man in Russia, Mijal Jodorkovski, who ended up in prison after denouncing corruption in his country’s government in front of Putin’s entire cabinet, including this one. That situation was probably very uncomfortable for Kraft when it took place, but it is clear that Putin has long since gotten used to no one objecting to what he says or does.
