Support The Moscow Times!

CSKA Fans Call for Boycott of Russian Cup Final in Grozny

CSKA Moscow fans have called for a boycott of next month's Russian Cup final between their team and Anzhi Makhachkala because it will be played in the Chechen capital Grozny.

The fans have been angry at the Russian Football Union's (RFU) decision to stage the June 1 final in the volatile North Caucasus region.

"We're calling on all our supporters to refrain from going to Grozny. Let others follow [RFU] orders and do what they're told — not us," the CSKA fan club said in a statement posted on its official website.

"Idiots in the RFU had made a decision to hold the Cup final in a city where local referees and security officials beat up players from visiting teams and the region's head makes public insults and then boasts about it social media."

Last month, Chechnya's strongman leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who serves as honorary president for local side Terek Grozny, insulted referee Mikhail Vilkov over a loudspeaker, calling him a "donkey" after he red-carded his team's captain.

Later that month, Chechen linesman Musa Kadyrov was banned for life for assaulting a visiting player in a reserve game in Grozny when he dropped his flag and ran on to the pitch, attacking startled defender Ilya Krichmar.

"By boycotting the final we want to express our outrage by the stupid decision of the RFU, totally ignoring the fans' opinion," the statement said. "We're still asking all our followers to boycott all the away games played in the Caucasus."

Related articles:

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

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 every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more