Russia handed suspended disqualification from Euro 2016

Russia could be thrown out of Euro 2016 if their fans cause further trouble inside a stadium after UEFA imposed a suspended disqualification and a 150,000 euro ($168,300.00) fine on the Russian Football Union (RFU) on Tuesday.

Masked Russia supporters charged at England fans, punching and kicking them, after the final whistle of the 1-1 Group B draw at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille on Saturday.

Russia's fans were also involved in violent clashes with England supporters in the port city before and after the match.

"Charges relating to crowd disturbances, use of fireworks and racist behaviour had been brought against the RFU (Russian Football Union)," UEFA said in a statement, adding its ethics committee had imposed a suspended disqualification and fine.

"Such suspension will be lifted if incidents of a similar nature (crowd disturbances) happen inside the stadium at any of the remaining matches of the Russian team during the tournament," it added.

Sports minister Vitaly Mutko told the R-Sport news agency that Russia, who have been chosen to stage the 2018 World Cup, would not appeal against the sanction.

"This decision (to fine Russia) was pre-determined. There was the decision of the executive committee, now they just confirmed this decision," said Mutko.

"The punishment is excessive, but we cannot influence it. The fine is enormous as the Russian Football Union is a non-commercial organisation. There is no sense to appeal. But what (has) the team has to do with that? It is not guilty."

It is the second time in as many European Championship tournaments that the Russian federation has faced sanctions because of the behaviour of its supporters.

The RFU was fined and given a suspended six-point deduction for its Euro 2016 qualifying campaign after fans assaulted stadium security staff and displayed illicit banners at the 2012 tournament in Poland and Ukraine.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Tuesday that some football fans will be deported from France after violent clashes marred the start of the Euro 2016 tournament, and a group of Russia fans was detained near Cannes on the French Riviera.

Previousely, expressing its "utter disgust" over three days of disorder in Marseille, UEFA told the English and Russian federations on Sunday "to appeal to their supporters to behave in a responsible and respectful manner" at the tournament in France.

The governing body said after the game that its executive committee "warned both football associations that - irrespective of any decisions taken by the independent disciplinary bodies relating to incidents inside the stadium - it will not hesitate to impose additional sanctions on the Football Association and the Russian Football Union, including the potential disqualification of their respective teams from the tournament, should such violence occur again."

The strong statement followed emergency UEFA meetings to discuss the clashes and security measures inside the 10 stadiums being used across France for the 24-team tournament.

"UEFA acknowledges that there were segregation issues at Stade Velodrome and will implement corrective measures to strengthen the deployment of security personnel at stadiums, in close collaboration with local authorities," UEFA said.

Russia has been charged by UEFA over crowd disturbances, racist behavior by fans and the setting off of fireworks at the game. UEFA's disciplinary body will judge the case on Tuesday, imposing sanctions ahead of its second Euro 2016 game against Slovakia on Wednesday in Lille.

Although UEFA holds national federations responsible for their fans' behavior inside stadiums, it typically does not act on incidents elsewhere.

"UEFA expresses its utter disgust for the violent clashes that occurred in the city center of Marseille, and its serious concern for the incidents at the end of the match inside Stade Velodrome," UEFA said. "This kind of behavior is totally unacceptable and has no place in football."

Meanwhile France’s Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said he asked police chiefs in nine hosting cities to take all measures to prevent the sale, consumption and transportation of alcohol on the day before a fixture and on the match day.

Anybody arrested for violent incidents could also be banned from all stadiums, fan zones and popular public areas in all host cities, he added.