"Destroy the whole essence of fanaticism and its emotions"

A little more than a month before the resumption of the RPL season in Russia, they again started talking about fans.

The reason is their dissatisfaction with the adoption in December of the law on the introduction of Fan ID, which will enter into force on June 1, 2022.

Many active football fans initially spoke out against fan IDs, but have now moved on to issuing ultimatums.

The first to do this was the association of Spartak fans Fratria.

Its representatives said that they intend to ignore the meetings of the national championship, the country's cup, as well as home games in European competition.

They will also refuse to attend other competitions "where a forced identification system will be applied."

“Our boycott starts from now and will last until the complete repeal of the adopted law.

It applies to all fan associations, organizations and teams that identify themselves with Spartak: Moscow, Russia, the CIS countries and the whole world.

No law, no document and no official can deprive a fan of his sacred right: to be close to his club, to be part of its history, to consider the stadium and the sector as his home, to openly express his emotions and opinions, ”the statement says.

The Phratria also emphasized that fans who do not support the boycott "will not be able to look with honor and dignity at the head of thousands of associates."

It is emphasized that any fan visiting the stadium during the protest will be excluded from the ranks of the movement.

“The system will not stop - having got rid of the fans, having cleared the active sectors from the “objectionable”, its mechanism will ruthlessly start in a new direction.

A law aimed at providing a “comfortable and safe environment for football” will not only destroy the whole essence of fanaticism and its emotions, but will also cynically, without explanation and in violation of the presumption of innocence, deal with anyone who does not fit into the rules dictated by it - ordinary fans, visitors "family sectors" and VIP-lodges, "the Fratria added.

The active fans of Zenit supported the principal rivals.

In the association of fans of St. Petersburg "Landskrona" announced the refusal to issue fan passports.

This innovation was called there "opaque, repressive and redundant."

The organization explained that, according to the current legislation, a person can be deprived of the right to visit the stadium only on the basis of a court decision.

However, after the introduction of the new law, such a verdict can be issued in fact arbitrarily, for example, on the basis of an alleged intention to commit illegal acts.   

“This rule creates a lot of scope for abuse, since formally a report from a police officer is enough that, perhaps, seven years ago, citizen Ivanov drank alcohol at the stadium,” Landskron emphasized.

Rostov fans also refused to issue fan passports and attend matches at which he will act.

“We believe that the introduction of this measure will not improve safety and comfort for spectators, but will become another tool for already widespread and excessive control.

In our opinion, this weeding out of the “wrong” fans is aimed at eradicating organized and colorful fan ills and turning sporting events into silent theater,” the statement said.

Dissatisfied with the new bill and active fans of Krasnodar.

According to the former head of the United Front fan movement, Nikolai Russov, his associates have a “very negative” attitude towards Fan ID.

However, there is no talk of an organized boycott yet.

But CSKA fans, according to media reports, intend to ignore the upcoming RPL matches in protest against the introduction of fan passports.

At the same time, it is not yet clear whether they will decide on a categorical refusal to issue them, following the example of associates supporting other teams.

“They have the right to express their position”

Meanwhile, the clubs, despite the complexity of the situation, basically continue to remain silent.

They stood up for their fans only in Spartak, where they did not hide before that they support their own fans in the issue of Fan ID.

“The club is aware of the position of fan associations.

Of course, this situation does not cause anything but frustration.

Spartak fans are the best in Russia, their support is very important for the team.

At the same time, we understand that they have the right to express their position in this way and draw attention to the problem, ”Sport-Express quotes Dmitry Zelenov, head of the Spartak press service.

Earlier, the owner of Krasnodar Sergey Galitsky spoke critically about Fan ID.

According to him, the innovation will only complicate the lives of people who, for example, want to go to the game in another city.

A similar point of view was voiced by the president of Ural Grigory Ivanov back in November 2020.

“It's one thing if this system is optional.

Another is if you have to make a Fan ID for every fight.

Imagine: a person arrived in Yekaterinburg, decided to go to football, and then something needs to be formalized.

He won't go anywhere.

This is a double-edged sword.

To ensure security, we already have recognition cameras, and we can watch the fans and let them in or not let them in to the next matches even without the Fan ID system, ”the Match TV official quotes.

"Light the firecracker - be ready for paddy wagons"

But the State Duma deputies, who adopted the relevant bill in mid-December, do not see anything terrible in it.

In their opinion, it should not in any way complicate the lives of ordinary citizens.

Thus, Dmitry Svishchev, Chairman of the Committee on Physical Culture and Sports, emphasized that fans would need only five minutes to obtain the necessary documents.

“I’m sure they (the fan associations that announced the boycott. -

RT

) will not achieve anything with such a demarche, since the government came out with this bill in order to ensure security at sports facilities.

I am offended by such things, ”Svishchev explained.

In turn, his colleague Nikolai Valuev also called the boycott senseless and stressed that he did not remember cases of repeal of already adopted laws.

The introduction of Fan ID, according to him, is not aimed at controlling viewers at all.

“Abroad, the experience with a FAN ID is quite successful and does not bring problems to fans, they go to matches in huge numbers.

I don’t think that this should become a problem for us, we will definitely cope with the organization of the provision of this document no worse, ”the ex-world boxing champion emphasized.

Finally, Svetlana Zhurova recalled that it is not yet clear whether Fan ID will even operate at RPL matches, and therefore the angry reaction of the fans may be premature.

The procedure itself, in her opinion, has proven itself at the 2017 Confederations Cup, 2018 World Cup and Euro 2020.

But the Ministry of Sports took a neutral position and promised to carry out information and explanatory work with the fans.

Minister Oleg Matytsin stressed that he was ready to conduct a dialogue with all interested parties.

At the same time, he noted that the main goal of introducing fan passports is to increase security at stadiums.

There is no unity about the law and in the football community.

Some criticize it, while others, on the contrary, consider it the right idea.

For example, Oleg Romantsev, ex-coach of Spartak and the Russian national team, consistently speaks out against, calling the introduction of Fan ID an “anti-football decision”.

CSKA head coach Alexei Berezutsky admitted that he still did not understand why this was done.

But the bronze medalist of Euro 2008, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, who played in the Premier League, on the contrary, believes that it is easier for law-abiding citizens to follow a simple procedure, while violators will suffer a well-deserved punishment.

“I lit a firecracker - be ready for paddy wagons, sit for four hours.

I think this is unacceptable.

There is a certain regulation, you know what you are going for - then do not complain.

I don't think getting a Fan ID is a problem.

I personally received it in five minutes,” Bilyaletdinov emphasized.

In turn, RFU President Alexander Dyukov admitted that he would not want fan passports to become a burden for football fans.

According to him, access to the arenas should remain easy.