The Russian Football Union will reportedly investigate racist chants by fans in St. Petersburg directed at French players during a friendly less than three months ahead of the 2018 World Cup.
The monkey chants were audible on a live broadcast Tuesday after French midfielder Paul Pogba scored in a 3-1 win over Russia. The head of the Fare Network anti-discrimination NGO has called on the world’s footballing body FIFA to initiate proceedings, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.
Alexei Smertin, the Russian Football Union's anti-discrimination officer and a former Russian national team captain, told the Championat.com sports news website that the union is “closely” investigating the reported chants.
“As soon as there are final results, we will certainly disclose them. If violations are detected, appropriate measures will be taken,” Smertin said Wednesday.
Russia hosts the World Cup from June 14 to July 15 in 11 cities including St. Petersburg, the site of Russia’s group-stage match against Egypt, as well as Morocco-Iran, Nigeria-Argentina and Brazil-Costa Rica. St. Petersburg Stadium is also set to host the semifinals on July 10.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
![paiment methods](https://static.themoscowtimes.com/img/contribute/payment_icons.png)
Remind me later.