Russia leaving no stone unturned as it fights a different battle off the pitch

Corruption, crime and thuggery. These are the top three talking points away from the action at the World Cup as Russia aims to avoid any more controversy surrounding the tournament it is hosting amid pledges of fans safety.

Vladimir Putin has left no stone unturned making sure the biggest event in Russia since the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics seduces a sceptical world.

Twelve stadiums in 11 cities spanning the European portion of the world’s largest country are ready after getting their last licks of paint. The host nation will kick-off the action against Saudi Arabia on June 14 in the 80,000-capacity Luzhniki stadium in Moscow, which will also host the final.

But troubles are not hard to find. The team have picked a terrible time to go on their worst run in the post-Soviet era. A 1-1 draw in Moscow with Turkey on Tuesday made Stanislav Cherchesov the first Russian manager to go winless in seven consecutive games.

Elsewhere, allegations of vast amounts of money changing hands to secure the hosting rights to the tournament continue, with a dossier set to reveal illegal payments to high-ranking officials across the globe in order to secure their votes in the bidding process, which took place back in 2010.

There will be no hiding from those revelations, should the trail of breadcrumbs lead to the very top in both Russian footballing and political circles.

Similarly, there will be no hiding place if the authorities cannot make good on their promises to travelling fans that they will be safe on the streets from the notorious robbers. Russian authorities are said to be cracking down on hotels, which hike prices beyond a set level, but that is next to impossible for them to regulate. Ticket touts out to make a fast buck will not disappear this time around either.

Then there is the violence. It’s not easy in a country where violence is regarded by some as a sport and hooligans are organised professionally.

Mob violence

When you think back to the scenes in Marseille at Euro 2016 and recall the violent clashes between Russia’s organised hooligans and the English crowds, it makes you fear for what may lie ahead off the field during the four weeks of the 2018 World Cup.

When you add in the ‘ultras’ of Germany, Turkish and French elements, and other notorious gangs, mostly from Eastern European countries, you have a potential powder keg of trouble just waiting to go off.

Russian authorities are cracking down on the hooligan culture. Groups, which wreaked havoc in France, are now under constant surveillance from law enforcement in Russia, with decrees coming from the Kremlin that violence will not be tolerated.

After all eyes will be on how mobs, both from the home nation and abroad, will be controlled, and how the nation as a whole is portrayed when they open their doors to the world.

Hooligans face lengthy prison sentences if they are involved in any trouble, especially those known to have previous history in such matters. One Russian ‘professional’ hooligan even told AP that they now feel like “hostages” and the hooligan scene in Russia “is finished”.

Fingers crossed that is the case and the tough punishments will deter thugs from other countries from causing trouble over the next four weeks.

Let the pitch battles remain on the pitch.