Incidents of Discrimination in Russian Football 2015 - 2017
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A Changing Picture: Incidents of Discrimination in Russian Football 2015 - 2017 1 www.farenet.org Contents Introduction 4 Statistical overview 10 Banners 12 2015-16 12 2016-17 21 Other visual displays at matches 27 2015-16 27 2016-17 31 Football chants 32 2015-16 32 2016-17 34 Incidents on the pitch 35 Large images and inscriptions in urban spaces 36 2015-16 36 2016-17 38 Attacks 40 2015-16 40 2016-17 41 Assistance to far-right politicians and football supporters injured in fights 42 Imprint: 2015-16 42 Published in June. 2017, by SOVA 2016-17 43 Center for Information and Analysis, and the Fare network Other examples of neo-Nazi and xenophobic displays in football 44 www.sova-center.ru www.farenet.org 2015-16 44 2016-17 46 About 50 2 3 www.farenet.org A Changing Picture: Incidents of discrimination in Russian Football 2015 - 17 Introduction Nature of far-right manifestations in past two years, we have not recorded a single Russian football case of a Swastika put up in the stands. In some cases, banners with the Teiwaz, Odal, Most of the recorded cases of far-right Sig, Algiz and Yr runes as well as the neo- propaganda involved displaying the Teiwaz, Nazi numerical code 88 were not allowed at Odal, Sig, Algiz and Yr runes used in Nazi football venues. Germany and associated with its ideology (slogans written in runic script, but not A few professional clubs have become more containing these specific runes are not vigilant and more prepared to take action This study of discrimination, including racism, nationalism, included in our report). We have to reiterate against their own supporters, an example that although the runes themselves are not is the stance that the Samara-based Krylya homophobia and sexism, in Russian football covers two football Nazi symbols, in this particular context they are Sovietov club took against the display of a seasons from June 2015 to May 2017, including the actions of clearly associated with the Third Reich, as they banner featuring two characters styled as the Russian fans’ during UEFA EURO 2016 in France. We have were used in the symbolism of various military numerical code 88, at the beginning of 2015-16 employed the same methodology as in previous reports (covering divisions in Nazi Germany. season. On October 18, reports said fans tried to put up an unauthorised banner, which led Football fans use other neo-Nazi symbols the periods of 2012, 2013, 2014) to analyse cases of discrimination to a confrontation with the police. As a result, such as the Celtic cross, SS Totenkopf and and far right propaganda in Russian football using open and public a fan Dmitry Vakhramei, was fined in court the symbols of right-wing Slavic neo-paganism under Art. 318 of the Criminal Code, ‘Violence sources, as well as closed discussion groups and online fan forums (such as the “Kolovrat”). They also display against a representative of the authorities’. slogans on banners and clothing, such as as sources for the data. All of the incidents that we list are done so The club’s stance in the dispute with radical fans “My honor is loyalty” (the motto of the SS) on the basis that there is clear evidence of their existence. was genuinely encouraging and quite rare. and “Jedem das Seine” (“To each what he deserves” written above the gates of the It is also worth noting that at the end of When recording cases of far-right symbols and there is little chance of making any accurate Buchenwald concentration camp). 2015-16 season the bureau of the Russian xenophobic slogans displayed in stadia during count of such displays, as these events take Football Union (RFU) executive committee New banners and graffiti aimed at the ISIS matches, we have deliberately limited our place in various locations across Russia and amended its disciplinary regulations, including terrorist group, which is banned in Russia, scope to the Russian Championship organised photographic evidence of what is happening sanctions for clubs whose supporters display and refugee migration into Europe were by the Russian Football Premier League and is almost non-existent. far-right symbols from a list based on the recorded during 2015-16 season. In at least the Russian Football National League (FNL) recommendations of Fare as documented in The number of cases of racism, incitement of one case, anti-terrorist slogans were mixed championships as well as those of the Russian our Guide to discriminatory signs and symbols ethnic hatred and other forms of discrimination with Islamophobic rhetoric. The 2016-17 Professional Football League (PFL), and the in European football. during the two seasons covered in this report season was also marked by the appearance Russian Cup. Our monitoring also covers fan is about the same as the year before, with a of banners featuring anti-Semitic stereotypes. Unfortunately, in practice, the authorisation tournaments held under the auspices of the minor decline in the number of incidents during of banners by professional clubs is often just Russian union of supporters (VOB). Fans often We also want to note the efforts that both the 2016-17 season. Nevertheless we note that a formality. We have repeatedly witnessed display neo-Nazi symbols at championships the football community and law enforcement some manifestations became more aggressive banners featuring the Odal and Teiwaz runes hosted by the Amateur Football League (LFL) agencies are making to curb the presence during the 2015-16 season. partly covered with duct tape during Premier and many other amateur competitions, but of far-right symbolism at matches. Over the 4 5 Introduction www.farenet.org League matches. Those responsible have Discriminatory chants We also note that fan groups have emerged in often as official fan representatives within obviously allowed people with such banners the North Caucasus that follow the behaviour of professional clubs. Discriminatory chants from the stands into the venue assuming the requirements football hooligans and actually initiate clashes are another problem still relevant for the The now notorious events involving violent about the absence of forbidden symbols with fans from the Moscow teams. Some of Russian football community. During the Russian groups at Euro 2016 highlighted these were met that way. This superficial approach these clashes have a clear racial dimension. 2015-16 season, fans sung racist, links. According to official reports, Azamat has little to do with preventing the spread of In the past two seasons we have recorded aggressively nationalist and sexist chants. Sadykov and Dmitry Khrisanov, employees neo-Nazi sentiments. As for the FNL and PFL several such attacks. In August fans of CSKA However, throughout the 2016-17 season of FC Rubin Kazan, were fired for use of championships, supporters quite often openly Moscow and Anzhi Makhachkala clashed in we did not record anti-black racist chants pyrotechnics during the Russia vs. Slovakia demonstrated the aforementioned runes as well the Moscow suburb of Khimki; another clash targeting players which is to be regarded match and involvement in riots in Marseille as the Celtic cross and other far-right symbols. took place in Krasnodar in October between as a positive change. after Russia vs. England. the fans of Kuban and Anzhi. In in Grozny, local Unfortunately the number of incidents involving In May the head of the RFU disciplinary fans attacked visiting Spartak fans, and judging In Marseille, following bloody clashes in the the display of prohibited symbols has not committee Artur Grigoryants stated that there by the available video footage, the attack was city, the French authorities arrested and decreased in the past two seasons compared had been “No acts of racist manifestations” accompanied by xenophobic insults aimed sentenced Lokomotiv Moscow supporter to our previous reports. The use of Nazi during the 2016-17 season. What in fact he at ethnic Russians. On the 1 May 2017 FC liaison officer Alexei Yerunov, head of the and neo-Nazi symbols and slogans is still meant was that there were no monkey chants. Krasnodar fans clashed with Anzhi. Arsenal Tula fan club Sergei Gorbachev, widespread in fans’ tattoos and clothing, fan He did not mention the on-field incident with and a member of the Dinamo Fan club groups’ stickers and other merchandise. All Some representatives of the Moscow hooligan Amkar’s Nigerian midfielder Fegor Ogude central council, Nikolai Morozov. these symbols are then displayed at football scene even began to recognise supporters and numerous other incidents involving racial matches. Football fans widely post stickers from the Caucasus as full members of the Several fans, including the head of the Russian abuse of minorities through other displays that are often openly xenophobic and include hooligan community: on October 11, fans of supporters union (VOB) Alexander Shprygin, such as banners. neo-Nazi symbolism, and even organise best Dynamo from the 3rd Rome firm attacked were expelled from the country (in Shprygins sticker competitions on social media. Violent hooligans and the far-right people from Dagestan at Veshnyaki Station in case twice). Moscow and presented this as a hooligan fight The scale of the problem is more serious than The problem of violence remains a big one with the Moscow section of Anzhi fans from the In September 2016, the police detained the it might seem, considering that we are talking in Russian football, episodes of fan violence Wild Division group. now notorious Shprygin at a Holiday Inn about small images difficult to photograph often include overtly xenophobic attacks. hotel in Moscow during a Russian Football when fans sport these symbols at matches. The number of such attacks during 2015-16 Links between hooligans and football Union conference in connection with a fight in According to our estimates, during the 2015- season increased significantly compared to institutions January.