Russian MP wants fan brawls to be turned into sport

Igor Lebedev says ‘draka’ will attract mass crowds if organised officially

Russian politician Igor Lebedev has presented a rather interesting solution to hooliganism which has become a menace in football matches during international championships.

Russia hosts football World Cup next year and Lebedev thinks the fights should be turned into a spectator sport by legalising them, where 20 men from each team will fight in an arena.

Last year, Russian fans’ organised groups brawled against English supporters on the streets of Marseille during the Euros. The fights were lauded by Lebedev who told Russian fans: “Well done lads, keep it up!”

However, this time he wants ‘draka’ – the Russian word for fight – to be legalised and proposed to formulate a framework of rules for the event. His reason for the introduction of the sport was published on the website of the nationalist LDPR party where he said that organised brawls “could turn fans’ aggression in a peaceful direction”.

“Russia would be a pioneer in a new sport,” said Lebedev, adding that such a sport would be massive attraction for the crowds. “English fans arrive, for example, and start picking fights. And they get the answer – challenge accepted. A meeting in a stadium at a set time.”

Lebedev, apart from serving in the parliament as deputy speaker, also holds a position in the Russian Football Union. He is a long-time associate of the fan leader Alexander Shprygin, who was deported from France last year following the Marseille violence.

But Lebedev also assured that Russian police will protect foreign fans and they will not face any danger during the 2018 World Cup.

“We’ve taken all the safety measures, modernised legislation. Not a single tourist has any reason to fear travelling to our country in the summer of 2018.”