A 150,000 Euro fine and suspended disqualification from Euro 2016 have been handed to Russia today, after crowd disturbances inside the state Velodrome.
After Vasili Berezutski’s late header cancelled out Eric Dier’s superb free-kick to ensure the game ended level, Russian fans broke past stewards and charged towards England supporters. Fighting quickly broke out in the end behind the goal which Joe Hart had been defending in the second-half.
With the Stade Velodrome security clearly overwhelmed, England fans were forced to flee from Russian attackers by instantly making for the exits at the end of the game. Some were even forced to jump over barriers to avoid the fighting.
Many people were completely taken by surprise by the violence, as the Russian fans didn’t discriminate- targeting men, women and children alike. Rebekah Vardy, wife of England striker Jamie, was in Marseille for the game and was one of many people to react to the violence.
‘That has to be up there with the worst experience EVER at an away game,’ she wrote. ‘Tear-gassed for no reason, caged and treated like animals!
‘Shocking I witnessed this with my own eyes! I can’t comment on things I didn’t see but what I got caught up in was horrific and uncalled for!!’
Worried parents seen carrying small children were among those chased out of the stadium.
The incident came just hours after violence in Marseille’s Old Port threatened to overshadow the night’s match.
Officials in Russia tell Hooligans to “keep it up”
it has come to light that Russian football officials have told the hooligans to keep on fighting, as they are “defending Russia’s honour”. This is a truly disturbing fact seeing that families are being targeted for unnecessary violence.
Though Russia are still currently in the tournament, any further incidents of crowd disturbance inside grounds at Russia’s matches during the European Championship will see the suspension lifted and the country thrown out of Euro 2016.
