Going Loko

Russian player taunts Turkey with pro-Putin shirt

ISTANBUL: Lokomotiv midfielder Dmitry Tarasov stoked tensions after a Europa League clash between the Moscow club and Turkish giants Fenerbahce by revealing a T-shirt praising President Vladimir Putin underneath his club strip.

The first-leg clash in the round of 32 of the Europa League was the most significant sporting encounter involving the two countries since Turkey’s shooting down of a Russian plane on the Syrian border on Nov 24 caused a diplomatic crisis unprecedented since the Cold War.

To the joy of home fans, Fenerbahce won the match 2-0 but the attention focused on the behaviour of Tarasov after the final whistle.

He stripped off his Lokomotiv shirt to reveal a picture of Putin in military gear with the slogan “the most polite president”.

The words were a reference to the euphemism used in Russia for the Russian soldiers who carried out the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, who are known as “polite people”.

It comes as Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are engaged in a war of words over Syria. “A Putin provocation from a Russian footballer,” fumed the pro-government Yeni Safak daily in its headline.

Fenerbahce’s Portuguese coach Vitor Pereira complained over the behaviour of his opposite number at Lokomotiv, Igor Cherevchenko.

“I want to express a sadness: the Lokomotiv coach did not greet me,” said Pereira.

“I feel very sad. Even if we fight with the limits of football, we can still greet each other.

“Football and politics are different things,” he said. Tarasov insisted he acted alone. “This is my president. I respect him and decided to show that I am ready to support him where ever I am. I wrote on this T-shirt everything that I wanted to say.”

State Duma Deputy and member of the Russian Football Union’s executive committee Igor Lebedev slammed Tarasov for his actions, sarcastically commenting that the player had given a “wonderful present” to his club, himself and his fans.

“You can only say thank you for such as stupid gesture,” Lebedev told R-Sport.

— reuters Loud and clear: Lokomotiv Moscow’s dmitri Tarasov wearing a T-shirt depicting russian president Vladimir Putin leaves the pitch after the match against Fenerbahce on Tuesday.

— AP Flying start: Fenerbahce’s Bruno Alves jumps over Lokomotiv Moscow’s Petar skuletic during their europa League first leg last-32 match in Istanbul on Tuesday. Fenerbahce won 2-0.