A match between Russian and Turkish volleyball teams in Istanbul ended in conflict after Turkish fans abused members of the visiting Russian team, the state-run TASS news agency reported Wednesday.
During the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV) Cup's first leg of the final between Istanbul's Galatasaray and current champions Dinamo Krasnodar, Turkish fans threw ‘foreign objects’ at the Russian players and subjected them to verbal abuse, TASS reported.
“Without doubt we will inform the CEV disciplinary committee about this incident,” said Russian Volleyball Federation (RVF) president Stanislav Shevchenko, TASS reported.
“We have strived for a working relationship with the Turkish Volleyball Federation and the host country has provided all conditions in regards to safety. But there was an unpleasant ending in the Dinamo match where uncivilized supporters ruined the positives of the game,” he added.
During the match, which ended 3-2 to the host side, Galatasaray’s head coach also gave the middle finger to forward Tatyana Kosheleva and the Dinamo dugout.
“The behaviour of the Turkish fans was more than unpleasant, their words and gestures showed real hatred towards us. Garbage flew at our heads from the stands,” Kosheleva wrote on social media, an RVF press release stated.
“We still have to focus on the return leg. I believe there will be no such behaviour in response from our supporters. Such incidents happen in Turkey quite often. You need to ask the Galatasaray coach why he acted that way,” Shevchenko said, TASS reported.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists that Moscow may give an “official response” to the matter, RIA Novosti reported.
The return leg is due to take place on April 2 in Krasnodar.
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