Russia terminate coach Cherchesov
July 9 -Russia have parted company with head coach Stanislav Cherchesov after the team’s disappointing first-round exit from Euro 2020.
Russia
Russia pitch for South American Supercup hosting
March 6 – Russia is in talks to break new ground by hosting next year’s South American Supercup, according to the country’s sports ministry.
End of the road? Mutko confirms he will not contest Russian FA presidency
December 20 – After weeks of conjecture about whether he is back in favour, Vitaly Mutko, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister, has finally thrown in the towel at the head of the Russian Football Union (RFU).
Russian whistle-blower Rodchenkov cleared to speak to FIFA on players accused of doping
January 3 – Grigory Rodchenkov, the whistle-blower whose revelations led to the explosive doping scandal that rocked Russian sport, is now free to talk to FIFA about the extent to which football was involved according to agency reports.
Exclusive: Mutko on the brink. RFU call emergency powwow. Sorokin in wings
By Andrew Warshaw
December 22 – Under-fire Russian World Cup supremo Vitaly Mutko is on the verge of being ousted as head of the country’s football federation following the doping scandal that rocked world sport and heaped pressure on him to stand down.
Mutko fury at doping allegations as details of Xenon tests emerge
By Andrew Warshaw
July 3 – The Confederations Cup may be over but the spectre of doping continues to hang over Russian football, a major headache for World Cup chief and deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko.
Mutko dismisses Russian players named in doping scandal as an issue dealt with
March 20 – Russia’s World Cup chief organiser Vitaly Mutko, recently barred from holding on to his place at FIFA’s top table, has brushed aside allegations that Russian footballers were among those guilty caught up in the country’s widespread doping scandal.
Confederations Cup ticket sales slow as Russians cool on 2018 World Cup warm-up
By Samindra Kunti
March 10 – The countdown to the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup is on, but concerns remain over the slow ticket sales for the tournament. Despite ticket sales windows being open since November 2016, tickets are still available for all 16 matches.
Russian fears at it slips on another racist banana skin in Rostov
By Andrew Warshaw
September 30 – In a clear message to FIFA that racism is still prevalent despite the scrapping of its anti-discrimination body, Russian club FC Rostov are likely to face a UEFA disciplinary sanction after a banana was thrown on to the field during their Champions League game against PSV Eindhoven.
Mutko re-elected to lead RFU and revive them from their ‘coma’
By Andrew Warshaw
September 26 – Russia’s Sport Minister Vitaly Mutko, who became embroiled in the recent Olympic doping scandal, has been re-elected president of the Russian Football Union (RFU), crushing his only rival for the position to remain the country’s most powerful sporting official.
Mutko feels the cold shoulder of IOC’s war on drug cheats
July 21 – The 2018 World Cup in Russia has come under yet more scrutiny after sports minister Vitaly Mutko, the tournament’s ultimate supremo, was barred by the International Olympic Committee from attending the forthcoming Rio Games after the damning revelations of a state-run doping system.
Mutko considers return to Russian Football Union presidency
By Mark Baber
July 8 – Russian Sports Minister and YouTube sensation Vitaly Mutko has been nominated to stand as a candidate in September’s election for a new president of the Russian Football Union (RFS).
Russians go ice-cold on Capello after Euro 2106 qualification disaster
By Paul Nicholson
June 18 – The Russians may be on target with their infrastructure build for the World Cup in 2018, but they look to be way off target with their preparation of a team for the home championship. Defeat against Austria in the Euro 2016 group qualifiers again raised doubts over whether Italian Fabio Capello is the right manager for the Russian team.
Russia to replace imports with domestic products for World Cup 2018
By Mark Baber
April 14 – The Russian government has extended their import substitution policy to construction projects for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, in response to fall of the rouble, oil price fall and Western sanctions.
Yekaterinburg to build 35,000 capacity fan zone for 2018
March 27 – With Russia having completed its final planning for 2018 World Cup stadium build and construction underway, the current focus is now switching towards budgets and planning for infrastructure around the championships.