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English football fans behaved improperly during Russian anthem — coach

UEFA announced on Tuesday earlier its decision to fine Russia's Football Union €150,000 over Russian football fans’ misconduct during the match of the 2016 Euro Cup against England last week
England supporters sit in the stands at the end of the Euro 2016 Group B soccer match between England and Russia, at the Velodrome stadium, in Marseille AP Photo/Claude Paris
England supporters sit in the stands at the end of the Euro 2016 Group B soccer match between England and Russia, at the Velodrome stadium, in Marseille
© AP Photo/Claude Paris

LILLE, June 14. /TASS/. English football fans violated all moral norms while the Russian national anthem was played before the 2016 Euro Cup match last Saturday between Russia and England in Marseille, Russian team’s Head Coach Leonid Slutsky said on Tuesday.

"We do not know what was going on in the streets, but when a national anthem is played with the accompanying whistling it is a bold violation of all moral norms," Slutsky said. "One can add up the gestures of English fans we saw on our way to the stadium… Football fans around the world are more or less the same."

UEFA announced earlier on Tuesday its decision to fine the RFU €150,000 ($168,200) over Russian football fans’ misconduct during their national team’s opening match of the 2016 Euro Cup against England last week.

The European governing body of football also issued a suspended disqualification for the Russian team, which means that the national squad would be disqualified from the major European football tournament in case of the repeated instance of Russian fans misconduct.

The independent UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said in its statement on Tuesday that the sanctions followed after "charges relating to crowd disturbances, use of fireworks and racist behavior had been brought against the RFU."

Altercations erupted between Russian and English fans ahead of the June 11th 2016 Euro Cup opening group stage match. Fights were reported to start on Thursday in Marseille peaking at Saturday’s match.

Law enforcement resorted to tear gas and smoke pellets to disperse the brawlers.

In its kick off group stage match, team England took on the Russian national squad on Saturday, June 11, in Marseille at the Stade Velodrome. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.