Politicians ‘interfering’ in election of Russian football chief

A TOP Russian soccer official has accused the political establishment of interfering in forthcoming elections to replace the country’s long-serving football chief Vyacheslav Koloskov.

Alexander Tukmanov, executive director of the Russian Football Union (RFU), said Kremlin officials were putting pressure on RFU delegates to vote for his main rival, St Petersburg politician Vitaly Mutko.

"The pressure has been enormous and it's getting bigger every day," Tukmanov admitted yesterday in Switzerland, where the Russian national team is preparing for tomorrow's World Cup, Group Three qualifier away to Estonia.