Association of fans criticized the introduction of Fan ID at the matches of the Cup of Russia

Representatives of the fan associations of Lokomotiv, Spartak and CSKA, as well as Zenit St. Petersburg, reacted negatively to the introduction of the Fan ID fan identification system at the Russian Cup matches. They believe the initiative limits fans' ability to attend official matches.

By order of the government, the action of the fan card applies to the Cup of Russia from October 1. Before that, the system was used in the top division of the national championship, as well as in the final of the Cup of Russia and the match for the Super Cup of the country. Fan ID will be used at home matches with 16 Russian Premier League clubs.

The representative of the Lokomotiv fan association UnitedSouth Ivan Krylov in a conversation with Kommersant called the measures “another step to take away the soul of the stadium.” He noted that for four years since the introduction of the Fan ID system in the RPL during the cup matches there were no riots. “At the same time, before the introduction of a fan passport, the offender was found in the stands for ten minutes and detained at the exit from the sector,” Krylov added. The fans and the atmosphere in the stadium are as much a part of football as the game itself.

"Well, at least the material and technical base of the FNL clubs (lower divisions. - Kommersant), not equipped with the 'fan, go away' system, leaves a chance to attend matches for the old school," Oleg Semenov, one of the leaders of the Spartak fan movement, told Kommersant. In the association of fans of CSKA “Men in black” called the innovation “tightening the screws” and “depriving the fan of the last opportunity to attend official matches”. Landskrona’s Zenit fan association described the new measures as a “systemic struggle against the subculture as a phenomenon.”.

More in the material “Kommersant” “From Fan ID will not leave”.