MOSCOW, October 22. /TASS/. The Moscow City Duma’s commission for physical culture and sports and the city’s transport department will meet in joint session in December to consider if a special traffic regime should be introduced in the city during the 2018 World Soccer Cup finals in the Russian capital, Moscow City Duma member Kirill Shchitov told TASS on Wednesday. The city may decide to close itself to cars carrying foreign license plates.

Shchitov believes that a whole package of legislative initiatives is to be taken, including a special act for soccer fans.

“We have a law that is applicable to domestic matches and the citizens of Russia. But there will be many foreign nationals at the finals. We shall have to take a look at the legal status of foreign citizens and the likely sanctions that may be taken against them,” he said. Shchitov said the idea was being discussed of selling all tickets to the championship on presentation of passports and of supplying all tickets with a barcode, which may be blocked if the ticket holder has committed an offence.

“The operation of courts is another problem. The sole instance that is capable of pronouncing such verdicts is a court of law. In Brazil, there are special sports courts. Special rooms are reserved at the stadiums for judicial officials,” Shchitov said. If some abuse occurs at a sports event, courts instantly meet in session to pass a verdict on the offender.