The Football Union of Russian Federation was charged by UEFA for events inside the ground – alleged crowd disturbances, racist behaviour and the setting off of fireworks – but further statements made it clear that the Football Association was also under the microscope after violent scenes in the city’s Old Port area before and after the game.
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UEFA, the governing body of football in Europe, has already opened disciplinary proceedings against the Russian Football Union over its supporters’ behavior in Marseille. The RFU are permitted to appeal the punishments.
Six English fans were jailed on Monday for their roles in the disorder and Uefa has threatened to disqualify both teams if there is further violence.
The police stopped a bus carrying Russians and detained them.
“We welcome UEFA’s decision to launch an investigation into the violence and we will look at how we can support that while engaging with our European partners”.
England fans have said they were ambushed by squads of Russian assailants in at least one incident, though the Marseille prosecutor made clear that England supporters were responsible for some of the skirmishes in Marseille.
“The French authorities have had to deal with trouble involved with England supporters on Thursday, Friday and Saturday around the city and there were alarming clashes around the stadium at the end of the match”.
There were no Russians on trial, despite a Marseille prosecutor earlier in the day blaming “highly trained” Russian thugs for the worst of the violence in the cobbled streets of the city’s Old Port and around the Stade Vélodrome.
With the French authorities concentrating on preventing terror threats at Euro 2016, following the attacks that killed 130 people in Paris last November, they appear unprepared to deal with football hooligans. “That is something the Russian sports minister agreed with”, said Prime Minister’s official spokeswoman.
Hundreds of Russian fans charged through a flimsy security cordon at the Stade Velodrome following the final whistle in the 1-1 draw to attack England fans.
The pleas came as five England supporters were jailed for their part in fighting in downtown Marseille in the build-up to the Russian Federation match.
Igor Lebedev, a member of the FA’s executive committee, an MP and deputy chairman of the Russian parliament has said that the fans defended the honour of Russia.
ENGLAND has written to UEFA to raise “serious concerns” over security arrangements in Lille ahead of Thursday night’s Euro 2016 clash with Wales in Lens.
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A Downing Street spokeswoman said, while officers have been in France since before the tournament began, they had offered to send more “to support the security operation around the match in Lens”.
