Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Cup ban on worst 109 yobs in Russia
A HARDCORE of 109 Russian football hooligans – including one woman – have been banned from all matches at next year’s World Cup.
Authorities are determined to crack down on the thugs after brutal clashes in Marseille before and after the England versus Russia match during Euro 2016.
A blacklist naming the violent fans was leaked online yesterday. Russia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs originally identified 2,750 troublemakers.
The figure was cut to 297 when Russian supporters’ groups tightened control over their members.
Now this list of 109 identifies the worst offenders, who will be barred from all 12 h os t stadiums during the World Cup. Violation of the banning orders will result in a 15-day prison sentence or a £325 fine.
Moscow police public order chief, Andrey Zakharov, said he was confident of his team’s ability to handle the influx of one million fans from 31 countries next June and July.
He said: “It doesn’t really matter to us how many fans will come. As many as come, we are ready to ensure their security during the World Cup. It is definitely safe for British fans to come here.
“Those fans who arrived in Moscow for the Champions League matches, we deployed police to meet them, implemented all the measures according to the information we had. There is nothing to be afraid of.”
Northern Ireland and the Republic face play-offs next month to qualify for the tournament.