Nine detained in Russian football violence

MOSCOW: Nine people were detained after clashes erupted at a Russian football match despite a crackdown on fan violence ahead of the 2018 World Cup, police said.

Fakel Voronezh’s 2-1 win over Dynamo Moscow was interrupted early in the second half on Saturday as spectators clashed, tossing flares and plastic seats toward the pitch.

Police in the Voronezh region some 500 kilometres (310 miles) south of Moscow said nine fans had been detained at the second-tier game.

An unnamed source in law enforcement told Interfax news agency that four people, including one police officer, had been injured in a separate brawl ahead of the match.

Russian hooligans made a name for themselves in France during the Euro 2016 following violent clashes with English fans, triggering fears about safety for the 2018 World Cup to be staged in Russia.

Russian authorities have since take steps to head off fan violence. In July President Vladimir Putin signed off on a law that tightens controls at games and will see the interior ministry publish online a black list of supporters banned from matches.