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France - Euro 2016

Russian hooligans deported from France

A group of 20 Russian soccer fans have been deported from France, leaving on a flight to Moscow after French authorities accused them of being involved in hooliganism.

Russian supports at the Enland match
Russian supports at the Enland match (Reuters)
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Wales match

However, they did not have their visa cancelled and are expected back in France for the Russia – Wales match of Euro 2016 on Monday.

The 20 were being held in a closed-off area at Nice airport before a scheduled flight to Moscow, Saturday afternoon.

Among those deported was Alexander Shprygin who was arrested last Tuesday after leaving Marseille to go to Lille where Russia were due to play Slovakia.

He reportedly told authorites that he would be back for Monday.'s match.

Violent clashes

This follows violent clashes between English and Russian hooligans during the England-Russia Euro 2016 in the port town of Marseille earlier this week.

Russian president, Vladimir Putin, described the action of a small number of Russian fans as “a disgrace”, but added that he couldn’t understand how 200 Russian fans could beat up several thousand English fans.

He called on the Russian fans still in France to behave at the next match, which is due to take place on Monday against Wales.

Three other Russian fans have been jailed over the violence.
The arrests have angered the Russian government, which summoned the French ambassador to protest.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday called the fighting "a disgrace" but added that he did not "understand how 200 of our fans could beat up several thousand English fans".

He called on the Russian fans t who remain to behave appropriately when they face Wales on Monday.

Two British football hooligans were also jailed last Monday.

Psychiatric nurse Ian Hepworth, 41, was condemned to three months in prison and cook Alexander Booth, 21, was jailed for two months by the Marseille court and both were banned from French soil for two years.

Hepworth, who admitted throwing a bottle towards police in the city centre, apologised to the court.

"I wanted to impress my new French friends," he said.
Booth admitted throwing a plastic mug full of beer at police and making an obscene gesture but prosecutors claimed he threw a bottle and aimed at the officers' legs.

 

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