News / Russia

Russian football fan head expelled from France

Saturday, 18 June 2016 6:09 PM [ Last Update: Saturday, 18 June 2016 6:12 PM ]

People leave the stadium following clashes between Russian and English supporters at the end of the Euro 2016 group B football match between England and Russia at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille on June 11, 2016. © AFP

France has expelled the head of the Russian football supporters' association, following violence at last week’s England-Russia Euro 2016 match in the southern port city of Marseille.

Alexander Shprygin, along with nineteen fans, was placed on a flight from the French city of Nice to Moscow on Saturday.

Russia and England fans clashed before and after the match of the two teams last week. Shprygin and dozens of other Russian fans were detained on Tuesday over the clashes in Marseille.

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has said Russia will be kicked out of the European championship if their fans cause further trouble during the tournament.

Thirty-five people were injured in fighting between Russian and English fans in Marseille. Three Russian fans have been jailed for up to two years and six England fans for up to three months over the troubles.

A member of French riot police fires a round of tear gas during fights between England, Russian and French groups in Marseille, on June 11, 2016, on the sideline of the Euro 2016 European football championships. © AFP

On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the football hooligan violence at Euro 2016 a “disgrace” but questioned how Russian fans could have overpowered a far larger contingent of English supporters.

“But I truly don't understand how 200 of our fans could beat up several thousand English,” Putin said, adding, “In any case, the treatment by law enforcement should be the same for all violators.”

On Wednesday, Russia's Foreign Ministry summoned the French ambassador to Moscow, Jean-Maurice Ripert, over the detention of the Russian soccer fans.

The French envoy was notified about “discrimination” toward Russian citizens, the ministry said in a statement, warning that “further stoking of anti-Russian sentiments... could significantly aggravate the atmosphere in Russian-French relations.”

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