Kuban Krasnodar have been penalised for their refusal to travel to Russia’s dangerous Caucasus region for a league match against first division rivals Spartak Nalchik, the Reuters news agency reports.
Russia’s soccer chiefs awarded Spartak a 3-0 win and fined Kuban one million roubles ($34,940) after the Krasnodar club, citing security reasons, refused to travel to Nalchik following last week’s rebel raid on the city.
Up to 100 gunmen, linked to Chechen separatists, attacked Nalchik, capital of the <NOBR>Kabardino-Balkaria</NOBR> region, last Thursday, killing dozens of police and civilians.
“I don’t think it’s possible to play a football match in a city where you have tanks on the streets and special forces are fighting rebels,” Kuban general director Maxim Remchyukov was quoted as saying by the Russian media on Thursday. But Viktor Marushchak, chairman of the FA’s disciplinary committee, said: “Nalchik authorities had given us assurances of safety for the match, thus we had no choice but to award the win and the points to Spartak.”
Kuban said they would appeal.
“We’re going to write to both FIFA and UEFA, asking them to look into this matter,” Remchyukov said. “As a club chief I felt that I just could not endanger the lives of my players.”
The win moved Nalchik, on 76 points from 37 matches, just two points off second place. They also have a game in hand on their rivals.
Meanwhile, Kuban, who were relegated from the premier league last year, dropped to sixth place. The top two sides from the 22-team first division earn promotion to the top flight.
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