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France Deports Leader of Russian Football Fans for Second Time

Russian soccer fan leader Alexander Shprygin Jean Paul Pelissier / File Photo / Reuters

Alexander Shprygin, the head of the Russian Supporters Union, was deported from France for a second time on Wednesday, Radio Free Europe reported.

Shprygin travelled to France with a group of football fans to support the Russian national football team during the European Championships and was arrested on June 11 with 42 other fans over violence that marred the start of the tournament. On June 18, he and 20 other fans were deported.

Two days later Shprygin was detained again during the Russia-Wales match, having entered France over the Spanish border in order to attend the game, the TASS news agency reported. French authorities said they put Shprygin on a plane to Moscow at a Paris airport, RFE reported.

Violent clashes between Russian and English supporters marred the start of the competition and made international headlines. More than 35 people were injured as a result of the brawls, which led to Russia being awarded a suspended disqualification by UEFA.

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