UEFA threatens: Russia and England could be disqualified if fans continue riots

The European football governing body (UEFA) has warned the football federations of England and Russia that their national teams could be disqualified from the European Championship if their fans continue with riots in France, Patria reports.

Expressing "extreme disgust", UEFA officials have opened disciplinary proceedings against the Russians for fan disturbances in the stands in Marseille, as well as the use of pyrotechnics. No such proceedings have been opened against the English, but they have also been told they could be expelled from the championship if their fans continue with vandalistic behaviour as was the case in the port of Marseille.

UEFA, AP agency reports, has admitted that there are problems with separating different groups of fans within the stadium and has promised to resolve them by the end of the tournament, while some officials have pointed out that they made a mistake when they assigned Marseille for the match between Russians and English.

After three days of street clashes between the two aforementioned fan groups, as well as with local French and Arabs, problems also arose after the end of the match. Then, about 200 Russians chased the English from the stands, hitting them and taking their flags. Someone from the group of Russian fans even fired a flare towards another stand of the "Velodrome" stadium.

Proceedings will also be initiated against the Russians for racist behaviour, likely because UEFA classifies the display of the so-called "Celtic cross" as such, and decisions will be made by the Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body on Tuesday. The day after, Russia plays Slovakia in Lille.