The cells where intoxicated World Cup football fans will be taken to sober up will be more “humane” than notorious Soviet-era drunk tanks, Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko has promised.
“They are presented as drunk tanks, but in fact they're a way to create humane conditions,” Mutko, a former Sports Minister, was cited as saying by the Interfax news agency.
“If a person has had one drink too many, he needs to rest somewhere,” he added. “So it might as well be in a humane and dignified way.”
In Soviet times, drunk tanks, or vytrezviteli, became a preferred method to treat alcoholism. In fact, the sobering rooms were much like prisons.
The system was shut down by the Interior Ministry in 2011. But sobering rooms will be reintroduced in Russian cities for the World Cup tournament next year, Russian officials have announced.
In general, World Cup fans visiting Russia would do well to be on their best behavior. Earlier, Deputy Interior Minister Alexander Gorovoi warned that shirtless football fans would be “ruthlessly suppressed,” saying there would be no “half-naked people roaming the streets and squares of our Russian cities.”
The World Cup will be held from June 14 to July 15, 2018, in 11 cities in Russia.
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.
Remind me later.
