Russian FA considering response to 'severe' Uefa punishment over crowd trouble

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 told Press Association Sport today that the union had yet to decide whether to appeal the suspended six-point deduction and 120,000-euro fine for the violent, offensive and unsafe conduct of their supporters during Friday's opening Group A game against Czech Republic.

But an earlier RFS statement appeared to suggest they may contest the sanction, which they were given three days to do.

The union said it would do all it could to avoid being "subjected to this severe punishment."

They also once again appealed to fans to behave during the rest of Euro 2012, saying: "In these days, as never before, the Russian team needs the support of its fans, who are the best in the world, not hooligans putting their own interests above the interests of the national team."

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 today.

European football's governing body yesterday 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 also landed the RFS in hot water, with fans inside the National Stadium in Warsaw displaying a giant 'This is Russia' flag, something that could be deemed to relate to the decades of Moscow control over Poland during the Cold War.

UEFA, who opened proceedings against the co-hosts as well, said the incidents would not impact on Russia's suspended six-point deduction and that the new cases would be dealt with on Sunday.

The build-up to Tuesday's match was also marred by violence outside the stadium, trouble flaring after a march by thousands of Russia supporters came under attack by masked hooligans.

It led to 184 arrests, while, according to reports, at least 24 people were injured, including 10 police officers.

PA