The proprietor of the New England Patriots is lacking one in every of his Tremendous Bowl rings after as soon as claiming Vladmir Putin put it on and took the jewelry with out permission.
In a weird and uncomfortable chain of occasions, Patriots proprietor Bob Kraft met the Russian president in Saint Petersburg after his facet had overwhelmed the Philadelphia Eagles at Tremendous Bowl XXXIX in 2005.
Kraft cherished his third championship ring after a interval of Patriots dominance within the NFL, however unknowingly gave one in every of his prized possessions up when displaying off the ring to Putin throughout his journey to .
He defined how Putin made a chilling joke about how he may use the ring as a weapon and was determined to not lose one thing that held such vital sentimental worth.
However, following some confusion, Kraft later backtracked and claimed the ring was certainly given to Putin intentionally as a ‘mark of respect for Russian folks.’
Talking on the collection 50 Rings, 50 Days in 2013, Kraft stated: "I took out the ring and confirmed it to [Putin], and he put it on and he goes, 'I can kill somebody with this ring'. I put my hand out and he put it in his pocket, and three KGB guys obtained round him and walked out."
Kraft wished his ring again, however revealed he gave up hopes of it being returned after a name from the US authorities urging him to maintain his frustration below wraps for the sake of diplomatic relations.
"It might actually be in the perfect curiosity of US-Soviet relations for those who meant to provide the ring as a gift,” he stated he was instructed in a White Home name. "I actually did not [want to]. I had an emotional tie to the ring, it has my title on it.
"I do not wish to see it on eBay. There was a pause on the opposite finish of the road, and the voice repeated, 'It might actually be in the perfect curiosity for those who meant to provide the ring as a gift.'"
Putin’s spokesperson on the time, Dmitry Peskov, refuted Kraft’s claims and asserted that the jewelry was positively handed over as a gift. Peskov stated: "I used to be standing 20 centimetres away from him and Mr. Putin and noticed and heard how Mr. Kraft gave this ring as a present."
And an announcement quickly adopted from Kraft, who modified his narrative from having his ring taken with out permission, to providing it as a present to Putin. He stated: "I made a decision to provide him the ring as a logo of the respect and admiration that I've for the Russian folks and the management of President Putin.”