Russian Rugby Federation indignant over attack on RC Spartak players
MOSCOW. Aug 14 (Interfax) - The Russian Rugby Federation is indignant over an incident in which fans of RC Slava attacked players from RC Spartak after a Monday game.
"The Rugby Federation is extremely indignant at such behavior from the visiting team and considers it unacceptable," spokesman for the Russian Rugby Federation Nikolai Dulev told Interfax.
"Regrettably, with the growth in popularity of our kind of sports, the number of fans advocating the worst soccer traditions of supporting teams is rising," he said.
Asked about possible disciplinary penalties for RC Slava, he said that the Russian Professional Rugby League, to whom the Russian Rugby Federation passed the right to organize and conduct national championship games, is investigating the incident.
"As to whether it is necessary to build up security [at rugby games], punish RC Slava, and so on, it is for the Professional Rugby League to decide," Dulev said.
It was reported earlier that fans of the Moscow-based RC Slava attacked players of another Moscow-based RC, Spartak GM, after a Monday game between the two teams, the rugby.ru website reported.
Slava fans attacked Eldar Nasrullayev and Sergei Evseyev, who recently underwent eye surgery, spraying tear gas in Evseyev's face, the website reported.
RC Spratak lost the game to RC Slava 20:22.