To think the Foreign Office should consider advising/banning England football fans not to travel to Russia?

[yolofish]

I was just thinking: what with the Skripal situation and the mass return of 'diplomats' to Russia from all over the world that English fans may get less than a pleasant welcome if they travel to Russia this summer?

And that Russian football fans have a hard reputation, Russian police are unlikely to take any shit - or may just decide that English=bad, and with fewer diplomats in Russia getting any England fan out of clink might well be a very long-running and expensive business?

I have no idea how this would affect people who have bought tickets/packages etc in terms of insurance, but if I knew anyone who was going my heart would be sinking.

After the last euro games, when Russian hooligans where targeting British fans, I think they would be stupid to go, let alone this new event

Up to them, isn't it? There's no evidence that Russia is dangerous for normal people who have no connection with the government and security services. If people want to spend their summer travelling to Russia to watch football then crack on.

There will be guidance given about what to do and what not to do, the guidance will be ignored and Kevin from Rochdale or Lee from Harlow will get hammered on cheap vodka, get into a fight with local heavies and end up in a Siberian prison. Guaranteed.

The Russian fans are awful.
The whole world cup even being there is a farce anyway.

And it doesn’t take any provocation, being hammered, anything. The russian football ultras and the rife racism, homophobia, and violence are bad news

I echo what @Adrianflank said. But the timing of this is even worse and yes, they will be targeted and yes, I think the Foreign Office should be issuing severe warnings. I am biased against Russia anyway because I got beat up by a gang of skinheads on a school trip to Moscow and the police didn't even care or try to help that much (I was a young teenager by the way and they were grown men)

I wouldn't want my friends and family to travel for the football either. The pictures and footage from the last Euros were awful and the football strips will act as a magnet to hooligans.

I dont actually care about the football itself, but I think the diplomatic repercussions - and the potential violence - could be terrible.

It's going to be horrendous irrespective of current events. I'm surprised anyone would want to put themselves in such a dangerous situation.

I think they should advise against travel. After all the Foreign Secretary is not going.

I used to live and work there. Leaving aside, if it's even possible to do so, the chemical weapon attack in a British city, Russia is horribly disgustingly racist towards anyone who is black. I remember a female pal and I physically fighting off 3 pissed up burly blokes who wanted to beat her up. We both understood Russian and could understand the revolting stuff they came out with. We were both doing the same job, both British but she was black. This was in central Moscow.

I agree, the disgusting racism & hooliganism openly shown by Russian supporters should have been enough to ensure they didn’t get the World Cup in the first place.

My OH used to travel to watch England all the time, had been to several World Cups and Euro competitions and never been in any trouble. He, like the majority of fans go for see the game and have a good time. There are exceptions of course, but most of the fans are not looking for trouble. He spent a month in South Africa in 2010 and said it was a trip of a lifetime.

I am thankful though that we've got a mortgage and kids now and can't afford for him to go anymore. I would be terrified of him going to Russia - and actually, asking him about it he said he wouldn't go. It's not normal football scrapping, getting a thump on the chin here and there. It's the Ultras, they are extremely violent and they target England fans.

I honestly think someone will be killed in football violence in Russia. I really hope I'm wrong.

Yes OP, I think it should be advised not to go.

Totally agree. It won’t be safe. The Russian fans in 2016 were hugely violent and targeted England fans, in many cases without any provocation. Not to mention the horrendous and blatant racism. The fact that it is being staged there in the first place should be a source of huge shame to FIFA, but then again I’m not sure if that’s something that they are capable of feeling.

Added to the above you have the recent events in Salisbury. I would love to be proved wrong but I can readily imagine English fans being singled out by the Russian police with assent from those higher up. I really hope having the eyes of the world watching means this will be avoided, but it feels like Putin just isn’t playing by any recognised rules at the moment.

I love football but there is zero chance I would go.

I dont know what the dam thing is going ahead. Russia attacked the UK with a nerve agent. Why the hell isn't it being cancelled?

Sounds very backward country, I know all soviet Union countries suffered from being isolated and cut off...

The thing is, would any fan listen? Some fans want to fight. Would they care about foreign office stuff? I doubt it.. Good point about less diplomats there to help them.

Shame it can't be stopped and moved.

Does anyone know of any England supporters who were intending to go to Russia anyway? Everyone knows about the Ultras, the likelyhood of there being trouble. Not just the usual fans popping off at each other and chucking a few chairs but the threat of very real, intense violence against fans who are looking for trouble but also against those who would usually be able to avoid it. The only people I know of who are intending to go have no problem whatsoever with the threat and are thoroughly looking forward to it! Russia should never have been given the tournament.

The Russian media has also been whipping up bad feeling against the UK since the Salisbury incident.
My DH works away a lot at this type of event and I'm very grateful he's not going.

Totally agree op.

My sons were planning on going but not now. They are sensible and twenty odd adults and have travelled and lived abroad but now way would they go now.

Russia will exact revenge on English fans and others for no provocation.

Lambs to the slaughter

I really think the England should pull out due to current relations but no doubt the ££££ will matter more...

I have a holiday to Russia coming up soon. I'm not going for the football but will be there close to the start of the World Cup.

I've been looking forward to the trip for a long, long time but I can't help feeling more anxious about the whole thing than I did when it was first planned.

This is a fascinating and terrifying article about the ultras:

www.mirror.co.uk/news/real-life-stories/night-russian-ultras-we-respect-8190868

"In Russia when two groups of fans meet they get right down to business and fight until the opposing fans are either on the floor or run away. It's the same all over eastern Europe."

I went to Russia a couple of years back only for a couple of days. The tour guide was outstanding but didn’t talk much of daily Russian life (which I very much wanted to hear about) felt a bit North Korea like (if you know what I mean - restrictions on what could/could not be said).

I won’t go back. THE Reggie Yates’ programmes (for BBC3 from memory), are worth a watch.

It's going to be carnage. For any fans that go. Agree it should never ever been given to them. The ultras should have thier visas taken away and stop being allowed to travel

pythone that is a scary article. And I agree with random that the ££ or roubles will probably prevail.

Cant see Putin that bothered about Prince William not coming but imagine Kate is pleased! The fans will be lambs to the slaughter as somone said above.

I think we should pull out of the tournament entirely.