MOSCOW — On a warm, sticky morning in Kazan, Russia, a couple of weeks ago, a British journalist decided to brave the heat and go for a run. His apartment for the duration of the World Cup overlooked the city’s state-of-the-art stadium, so he decided to do a couple of laps.
By the time he rounded the arena for the second time, he had been reduced to walking, his face pink and his T-shirt soaked in sweat. Two police officers at a security checkpoint eyed him suspiciously. They had a brief, whispered conversation before moving to intercept him.