Euro 2016

FA chairman Greg Dyke leaps to England fans' defence

By Mark Langshaw, Reporter | 13 June 2016

FA Chairman Greg Dyke defends the England supporters caught up in the incident during the Three Lions' Euro 2016 clash with Russia.

Football Association chairman Greg Dyke has responded to UEFA's threat to expel England from Euro 2016 if there is further crowd trouble at the national team's matches.

The governing body issued the warning after violent scenes marred the Three Lions' 1-1 draw with Russia in Marseille, with a group of Russian supporters rushing their English counterparts after the full-time whistle.

Dyke has penned a letter to UEFA to challenge the notion that the England fans involved should be lumped into the same category as the Russian supporters behind the unprovoked attack.

"We take seriously your suggestion of sanctions," Dyke said in his letter to UEFA head Theodore Theodoridis. "In your letter, you call them 'additional' sanctions but the FA is not under any charge as it stands from UEFA's disciplinary bodies. Again, this is an important distinction.

"The implication is that English fans were in part responsible for the terrible incidents at the end of the match with Russia.

"This is contradicted both by the video evidence and by the fact your independent disciplinary bodies have only instigated sanctions against the Russian Football Union."

The letter goes on to criticise the stewarding and security arrangements at the game, during which opposing supporters were barely segregated.

Dyke added: "We believe the stewarding arrangements in place were unacceptable. Supporters were able to get in with fireworks and flares, and then let them off, and there was insufficient segregation between the Russian and English fans, particularly given the events of the previous two days.

"Having said that let me be clear, we join you in condemning the horrible scenes in Marseille away from the stadium on Thursday, Friday and matchday.

"A minority of English fans were clearly involved in some of those incidents and that is extremely disappointing to us all, but please also recognise that tens of thousands have behaved in a positive way."

England manager Roy Hodgson and skipper Wayne Rooney have both urged fans to "behave themselves" ahead of the Three Lions' remaining fixtures.