Euro 2016: Russia face disciplinary actions for attacking England fans
By David Rouben
After setting off flares and attacking England supporters, Russia is set to face sanctions for their actions during Euro 2016.
The scene at Euro 2016 turned very ugly after England and Russia drew in Marseille. Before Denis Glushakov equalized it for Russia, their supporters set off flares in the stands, then after the whistle, they started attacking the English supporters. As a result, BBC has reported that UEFA has taken disciplinary action against Russia, but not against England.
UEFA has also admitted that there were issues of segregation amongst fans. Unfortunately, Russian supporters have had a history of racist behavior. It’s why there have been so many Champions League matches in Russian stadiums played behind closed doors.
After there wasn’t a strong enough police presence at the match, the UK government has promised to send more British police before England’s next game against Wales on Thursday. The security guards on hand only did quick pat-downs upon entry, which would explain how some of the Russian supporters were able to bring in flares.
The violence continued well into the night, as there are plenty of videos on Twitter of the chaotic scenes in Marseille:
Vitaly Mutko, the Russian sports minister, commented on the matter, stating that “The fans were rooting greatly, but there are people who do not come for the football.”
There is no place for hooliganism like this in football, and it’s one of the things that puts a damper on a beautiful sport. While much of the focus for the Euros is on a terrorist threat, and rightfully so, UEFA should devote as much attention to preventing stuff like this from occurring. The last thing Euro 2016 needs is to be overshadowed by the actions of a small group of fans.
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