Russia to appeal sanctions over fan trouble
Reuters - Thursday 14 June 2012, 09:28
Russia will appeal UEFA's decision to
dock the team six points in qualifying for the next European
Championship if their fans misbehave again, the Russian football federation said on Thursday.
UEFA acted after disturbances at Russia's opening Euro 2012
game against the Czech Republic last Friday where Russian fans
set off and threw fireworks and displayed illicit banners at the
Group A match in Wroclaw which Dick Advocaat's team won 4-1.
"The Russian football federation is entitled to prepare and
submit a written appeal against UEFA's decision and this will be
done within the allotted time for this procedure," the
federation said in a statement on its website.
"The federation will do all it can to ensure the national
team avoids such a severe punishment."
Russian and Polish fans also clashed before the second Group
A game in Warsaw on Tuesday, which prompted football's European
governing body to open another disciplinary case.
The Russian federation, which on Sunday issued a joint
appeal with the team urging fans to behave, said it would seek
compensation from troublemakers if UEFA imposed fines to punish
misbehaving supporters.
The federation statement on Thursday also said it strongly
opposed violence inside and outside stadiums and again called on
Russian fans to behave. It said there could be no excuse for
violent behaviour or setting off fireworks inside stadiums.
"More than ever the Russian team needs the united support of
the best Russian fans in the world and not the bills being run
up by hooligans putting their own interests above those of the
national team," the statement said.