" VIOLENCE CELEBRATED BY RUSSIAN MEDIA/FANS/MPs "

" VIOLENCE CELEBRATED BY RUSSIAN MEDIA/FANS/MPs "

Tuesday 14th June 2016


Violence has been part of Russian football for many years. Clashes inside stadiums and organised fights away from them are common. But this weekend's mass disturbances in Marseille have thrust Russian hooliganism into the international spotlight.

The Russian Football Union expressed regret over the fighting and Russia's sports minister described those involved as a disgrace.

But other senior officials have praised the hooligans openly as "real men".

Meanwhile the fans themselves seem largely unrepentant, even proud.

"This showed who is the most important among hooligans," Alexei, a supporter of Moscow's CSKA football club who says he took part in the clashes, told me by phone from France.

He said Russian hooligans learned much of what they know from the English.

"In the 70s and 80s everyone would bow down before the English," Alexei says. "Now there are different hooligans. These are different times."

Hashtags like #Marseilleisours appeared on Twitter after the clashes and Russian hooligan groups on social media praised participants.

English fans caught up in the violence have talked of the Russians as savage and say ordinary supporters - not fellow hooligans - were attacked. Russian fans themselves insist they were responding to provocation by the English.

But they do describe a new breed of Russian hooligan - younger, fitter and more sober than his English counterpart.

"Now many people are boxers or into mixed martial arts, and Russian hooligans often follow a very healthy way of life, avoiding alcohol which used to be part of the subculture," explains journalist Andrei Malosolov, co-founder of Russia's Fans' Union.

"The English like drinking more, and when they drink they lose quality as fighters and slow down. Our people were more prepared, because of the culture these days," he told the BBC, suggesting that the "students" have outgrown their masters.

"Russia and Poland are in top place in the hooligan chart," Andrei Malosolov says. "England has dropped a long way down."

The tabloid paper Komsomolskaya Pravda adopts a similar tone, suggesting that Russia is now clear favourite in what it called the "alternative Euros".

As such, it has published a glossary of hooligan terms for the uninitiated.

The hard-core are known simply as the "fighters", the paper explains, whilst the "Ultras" are the noisy fans behind the goal.

Tactics range from a "jump" - striking a few blows then retreating - to a full "action"' aimed at the "moral destruction of the rival".

Video footage of the clashes is usually posted online.

Reports from France suggest that hooligans from multiple clubs were involved in the brawling in Marseille, including from towns little known outside Russia like Orel and Krasnodar. Fans say key members of the bigger hooligan firms, including two linked to Moscow teams CSKA and Spartak, were banned from travelling.

A recent "fans' law" introduced strict sanctions for violations including violence. The president of Russia's fans' union told the BBC that more than 100 hooligans had been blacklisted as a result.

But many of those who did travel, fought with their faces uncovered - apparently unconcerned about repercussions.

Both Russia and England face penalties from Uefa if the violence continues. The ultimate punishment - disqualification - would be devastating for Russia which hosts the World Cup in 2018.

But for now, the mood here is defiant.

"The lads defended the honour of their country," Russian media quoted MP Igor Lebedev, who is also on the executive committee of the Football Union.

The spokesman for Russia's powerful Investigative Committee went even further.

"A normal man, as he should be, surprises them," tweeted Vladimir Markin, referring to European outrage at Russian hooligans. "They're used to seeing 'men' at gay parades," he concluded.

So the fans' own reaction is hardly surprising.

"Of course we are worried about the team, that's the main thing," Alexei told the BBC from France, insisting that there would be no more trouble among the fans without "provocation".

He claimed that the clashes at the end of Saturday's match were sparked by a barrage of abuse from England fans.

"Maybe it was wrong what we did," Alexei admitted. "But if people shout insults, they have to be ready to pay for that."



"I don't see anything terrible about fans fighting. Quite the opposite, the guys did well. Keep it up!" - Igor Lebedev, nationalist MP and executive member of Russian Football Union

Fans from all over the world should boycott Russia world cup the country isnt safe..

Russia's record on human rights should have disqualified them from hosting any international events, as should Qatars. However Blatter and his cronies have been well bunged and that's why these socially retarded countries were awarded the WCs. No British teams should compete in Russia, obviously being Scottish it won't affect me as we stopped qualifying decades ago

Russia's record on human rights should have disqualified them from hosting any international events, as should Qatars. However Blatter and his cronies have been well bunged and that's why these socially retarded countries were awarded the WCs. No British teams should compete in Russia, obviously being Scottish it won't affect me as we stopped qualifying decades ago

Totally agree!

But don't be too hard on your team. After all, you have a super keeper and he'll still be at his prime!

If you hit another human being over the head with an iron bar you are effectively trying to kill him:
Russia is a post communistic pariah state run by a gangster/s
Putin engenders a love of "Mother Russia" which has created a fascistic youth culture steeped in aggression & suspicion of all things foreign
The State controlled media fuels all such behaviour as "defensive" just like Russian incursions into European airspace by their fighter jets
Russia's over reliance on Gas, which has seen its price tumble and demand lower considerably,has witnessed it's economy go into recession
Putin has/will look to create friction where there is none to deflect attention from the parlous state of the economy
It would not surprise me to discover these barbarians were sponsored by factions close to Putin
Expulsion would be meat and gravy to Putin and another example of the West's hatred of Russia
The cultural inadequacies of Russian youth/men hark back to a medieval perception of macho dominance as the "norm" exposing western culture as weak
Putin will only understand one thing strength.He knows that any adventures into the Baltic States would possibly initiate World War 3, he needs to know this!
Going back to the events in France any muppet can run around indiscriminately stabbing and maiming with iron bars what is hard about that.
If this had happened in the USA the police would have opened fire on these idiots
Time for the French police to grow a pair and act
I do genuinely fear for our mates over there !!

There is only one answer send MiIlwall over 50's over there tooled up and with a ready supply of Amyl Nitrate

The Russians do what they like the West is very wary and so they should be Russia is a super power and the USA and British have invaded other countries for far less but dare enter Russia, and back to the football how the hell can 20-50 Russians run 1000's of English and scatter them like skittles. England hooligans laughing stock. The whole world is laughing at England for years they have asked for a good pasting . And have just been served some medicine, from hard men, not pussys drinking 20 pints then having a crack . Different breed of hooligan and England got done like kippers.

The Russians do what they like the West is very wary and so they should be Russia is a super power and the USA and British have invaded other countries for far less but dare enter Russia, and back to the football how the hell can 20-50 Russians run 1000's of English and scatter them like skittles. England hooligans laughing stock. The whole world is laughing at England for years they have asked for a good pasting . And have just been served some medicine, from hard men, not pussys drinking 20 pints then having a crack . Different breed of hooligan and England got done like kippers.

You havent a clue judging by what you have written. 20-50 russians have not been near anywhere near 100s let alone 1000s just ambushing small numbers of scarfers, families even old men and hitting women. Hardmen trained so highly they still need coshes , gas and dusters to attack when they are 5 to 1.
Welsh fans are under threat from these cunts alot of our fellow fans and family members are out there to will you think thats funny to if they get attacked by these gutless russian cowardly cunts?

I'm talking about the English not the Welsh, and every video I've seen looks no more than a hardcore of 20 Russians maybe a few more battering thousands of English do the numbers stand and fight don't run like fannys.

I'm talking about the English not the Welsh, and every video I've seen looks no more than a hardcore of 20 Russians maybe a few more battering thousands of English do the numbers stand and fight don't run like fannys.

trying to understand what your saying, I wouldn't stick around if someone was coming at me with dusters and knifes.

As your missing out, they may be large groups in the video's you've seen (I haven't see any when Russians are outnumbered)
they are attacking regular scarfers, families, women and children.

Like any tournament there's far more English than anyone else you telling me now that the Russians outnumber the English?? Have a day off son.