Fan detained at World Cup after statue vandalised

Moscow police said it has detained a person after a statue was vandalised at the stadium where England played Colombia at the World Cup. Russian social media users posted a picture of the statue of former Spartak Moscow player Fyodor Cherenkov, who died in 2014, with the word “England” inscribed in red across the chest.

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Police said that an investigation is underway and “as a result of the measures taken by police, the individual who committed this act has been identified and detained.”

Police did not identify the suspect, or specify a nationality.

Poor guests

The police statement was released at almost the exact moment England beat Colombia in a penalty shootout, indicating the person who was detained didn’t get to watch the match. The vandalism prompted a storm of criticism of English fans on Russian social networks, with users calling them poor guests at Russia’s World Cup.

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Cherenkov is not well known outside Russia, but remains a hero to Spartak fans after winning three Soviet titles and one Russian title with the club. When he died in 2014 aged 55, reportedly of a brain tumor, thousands of fans attended his funeral.