DUSHANBE, June 23, 2011, Asia-Plus — A football match in Dushanbe turned into soccer fans disorder that reportedly left 40 in jail.
Tohir Normatov, chief of the Interior Ministry staff, says Kulob fans were involved in violence that broke out after the football match between Ravshan from Kulob and hometown CSKA-Pamir in Dushanbe on June 22. Ravshan won 3-2.
The match took place at the stadium in Dushanbe’s Politekhnikum area and hundreds of soccer fans poured into the streets outside the stadium and blocked the road.
“They refused to obey a police order to open the road and began to damage automobiles,” Normatov said. According to him, they broke windshield at three cars. No any other damage was reported, he noted.
“Disorder was instigated by soccer fans from Kulob. Forty persons were detained and charges of “hooliganism” have been brought against them,” Normatov added.
In the meantime, Ravshan chief coach Marouf Rustamov doubts that Ravshan fans from have been involved in Wednesday’s public disorder in Dushanbe.
“I do not think that the disorder was instigated by Kulob fans,” said Rustamov, “There were no any problems during the game and as it ended we left for Kulob. Some of Ravshan supporters phoned us and said that they also left for Kulob. I do not know who have done that.”
“After the match with Istiqlol, many of Ravshan fans were detained. We met with fans after that match and explained them it is not good. Such actions harm the team,” said the coach. “Our team was fined after the June 14 match and we now have to play five matches outside Kulob.”
We will recall that public disorder that took place in the city of Kulob on June 14 after the match between Istiqlol from Dushanbe and Ravshan from Kulob left at least 16 persons injured and 14 others in jail.
Istiqlol won 1-0 and some of Ravshan fans believed the referees in the match were biased. The winning strike came in the final minutes of the game and some Ravshan fans claimed offside should have been whistled and the goal should not have counted. As the game ended, Ravshan fans poured into the streets, fighting with Istiqlol supporters and local police officers and damaging cars. Police used tear gas and percussion grenades to disperse the crowd.
According to some source, Kulob fans have a reputation for being excessively rowdy at matches.
