Russia ponders appeal as Uefa get tough

The Football Union of Russia have vowed to do everything possible to escape the “severe” punishment imposed on them over the behaviour of their fans at the European championship.

An RFS spokesman said yesterday that the union had yet to decide whether to appeal the suspended six-point deduction and €120,000 fine for the violent, offensive and unsafe conduct of their supporters during Friday’s opening Group A game against Czech Republic.

After learning they would spend the next three-and-a-half years facing a six-point deduction for their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign, Russia were braced for more UEFA sanctions yesterday.

On Wednesday European football’s governing body opened disciplinary proceedings against them over the conduct of supporters in Tuesday’s second game against Poland.

And there could be further action to come, with an investigation ongoing into allegations Czech defender Theodor Gebre Selassie was subjected to monkey chants in Friday’s match.

An “illicit banner” at Tuesday night’s game, which read ‘This is Russia’ also landed the RFS in hot water.

Uefa also opened proceedings against Poland, whose fans clashed with Russian supporters outside the ground in the build-up to Tuesday’s match leaving 24 people injured.