By Richard van Poortvliet
May 16 – The Russian Football Union have confirmed Zenit St. Petersburg will be handed a 3-0 technical loss after one of their fans punched Dynamo Moscow player, Vladimir Granat in their Russian Premier League encounter on Sunday at the Petrovsky Stadium.
Aside from the technical defeat, Zenit will also be ordered to play two home games behind closed doors and another three games with a section of the stadium closed where the team’s ultras sit.
“The punishment is harsh, but it is important that the result of this decision is that football will be staying in St. Petersburg,” the club’s General Director, Maksim Mitrofanov said in a statement on its website. “Unfortunately we will play two matches without supporters, but then the clubs real supporters will be able to watch the team.”
The club have also been fined one million roubles. The incident happened in the 86th minute when a few hundred Zenit fans ran on to the pitch. Zenit were trailing 4-2 in what was their last home game of the season. One of the Zenit fans punched the Dynamo captain and Russian international defender Vladimir Granat in the head, who suffered a concussion. The match was abandoned after the referee consulted with the match delegate.
The player is currently recuperating after the incident, and the Russian Football Union after speaking the player, have decided to open a criminal investigation in conjunction with the police.
There are reports that the supporter in question has been identified as 45 year-old Aleksandr Nesterov, who is also known by the nickname, Gulliver. However, he has not been found or arrested.
“Together with the police and the judicial organs in the city, we are working to make sure that such incidents involving fans are never repeated in our stadium.” Mitrofanov added. “In terms of the fine, the hooligan who hit the Dynamo player and those fans who ran on to the pitch will pay part of it, once they have been identified,” said Mitrofanov.
“Zenit have not hid their guilt and have said that their security was not up to scratch. We have not had an answer why the fan who hit Granat was not arrested right after the incident occurred in the stadium,” the Russian Football Union’s Disciplinary Committee, Artur Grigoryants stated.
Zenit are currently second in the Russian Premier League table with one round of matches to play. They are one point behind CSKA Moscow who are first. Dynamo are in fourth place.
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