Krasnodar Fans Defend Spertsyan After Racism Accusations
- Author: Vahe Hakobyan
- Sportaran
Fans of FC Krasnodar have prepared and sent an open letter in support of the team’s captain, Eduard Spertsyan. The reason was a statement from FC Akhmat, which accused the player of making a racist insult toward defender Ousmane Ndong. The letter was addressed to Russia’s Minister of Sports Mikhail Degtyarev and Russian Football Union (RFU) President Alexander Dyukov.
In their message, the fans emphasized that the accusations against Spertsyan lack any factual basis and appear to be an attempt to justify the unsporting behavior of the Akhmat player who was sent off during the match. They noted that such claims damage the image of Russian football and undermine the principles of fair play.
“Krasnodar has positioned itself since its founding as an international club where there is no place for racism,” the letter says. “Eduard has always shown respect toward teammates and opponents regardless of their nationality. We call for an objective investigation and demand that the accusing side present irrefutable evidence of its claims.”
The fans also expressed concern that spreading baseless accusations could harm the reputation of Russian sports and slow down the process of reintegrating Russian athletes into international competitions.
“Eduard is a unifying, not dividing person. He embodies friendship among nations, and such attacks look like an attempt to discredit not only him but the entire club,” the authors of the letter stressed.
Earlier, FC Akhmat claimed that Ousmane Ndong had been subjected to racist insults from Spertsyan and demanded an investigation from the RFU. In response, the Krasnodar captain released a video denying all accusations, stating that he had not used any offensive language and that it was Ndong who initiated the altercation, during which Spertsyan sustained an injury and lost several teeth.
The incident will be reviewed by the RFU’s disciplinary committee. If the accusations are confirmed, Eduard Spertsyan could face a serious suspension.