Qatar isn’t the only future World Cup host with major issues, it seems.
A new study by a group of Moscow-based researchers has found pervasive racist and far-right behavior among fans of Russian soccer. The study, released three years before the country will host the World Cup, “shows a really quite gruesome picture of a domestic league which is full of aspects of racism, xenophobia,” one of the researchers told the Associated Press.
The report, written by researchers from the SOVA Center and the Fare Network and obtained by the AP, paints an unflattering picture of Russian soccer:
The report collated dozens of cases where fans carried out campaigns and sold far-right merchandise to collect money for imprisoned neo-Nazis. It provides a detailed breakdown of discriminatory incidents around matches, pinpointing 72 displays of neo-Nazi symbols, 22 acts against people from the Caucasus region, which includes Dagestan and Chechnya, and five occasions of abuse against black people. The report, which covers 2012-14, does not include an apparent rise in the targeting of black players being documented this season, Fare said.
The Fare network helps prosecute racism cases for UEFA, European soccer’s governing body. Its report was sent to FIFA on Friday, with President Sepp Blatter responding on Twitter:
The AP has more about the findings:
The report acknowledges rules were implemented in 2011 designed to combat discrimination at games, and welcomes the introduction of a “Spectator Law” in 2014, but that only regulates behavior inside venues.
The number of incidents of racism around stadiums has not decreased despite the threat of sanctions, including fines or stadium closures, the report says.
“This is not surprising because the boundaries of what is accepted in the football fan scene are blurry,” the report says. “Well-known coaches and players have photos taken with fans wearing swastika tattoos or T-shirts with Nazi symbols, and well-known singers sing songs with them in the stands.”
The report particularly highlights offensive conduct by fans of Moscow clubs CSKA, Dinamo, Lokomotiv and Spartak, and Zenit St. Petersburg. There is a prevalence of neo-Nazi and fascist symbols being adopted by far-right fan groups, including swastikas and Celtic crosses, and banners such as “White Pride World Wide.”
UEFA has taken action against Russian teams recently. In October, it forced CSKA Moscow to play a Champions League game in an empty stadium, punishment for racist behavior from its fans. But the Russian league itself has been light with its punishment. After Spartak Moscow’s fans hurled in-game racial abuse at FC Rostov midfielder Guelor Kanga, who is from Ghana, the team was fined the equivalent of just $1,300 while Kanga was banned for three matches after he made an offensive gesture to the racist fans. And Rostov Coach Igor Gamula was suspended for just five games after he made discriminatory comments about his team’s black players.
“Racist attitudes and ultra-rightist ideas are widespread among Russian football fans, and it is unlikely that this situation will fundamentally improve in the near future,” the report concludes, per the AP.
After spending the first 17 years of his Post career writing and editing, Matt and the printed paper had an amicable divorce in 2014. He's now blogging and editing for the Early Lead and the Post's other Web-based products.
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