Support The Moscow Times!

Capello's Russian World Cup Team Banned From Twitter

Russia's head coach Fabio Capello reacts during the international friendly football match against Morocco at the Lokomotiv stadium in Moscow. Grigory Dukor / Reuters

Russia's football coach Fabio Capello has banned his squad members from using Twitter during the upcoming World Cup tournament in Brazil, but will allow them to send text messages, a news report said.

"I don't like it when people are constantly scribbling and publishing something on Twitter. So Twitter is completely banned. But text messages are still allowed," Capello said in an interview with Russian sports magazine Sports Express.

Striker Maxim Kanunnikov had earlier played down reports of a social media ban, saying "the topic has been discussed but it is not categorically forbidden."

This is not the first time that Capello, a known disciplinarian, has tried to clamp down on players' communication habits during a tournament.

While head of the English national team, Capello forbade his players from using Twitter and Facebook or publishing columns for newspapers or magazines, Britain's The Telegraph reported ahead of the last World Cup.

Capello and his 23-man squad arrived Sunday in Brazil, where the opening game of the 2014 World Cup is set to get underway Friday between the home nation and Croatia.

Russia take on South Korea in their first game next Tuesday, and will also play fellow Group H teams Algeria and Belgium — with the top two teams progressing to the next round.

See also:

Fabio Capello Ban on Social Media Not Official, Russian Striker Says

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more