MOSCOW, January 15, Vasily Bogdanov. Former member of the committee for ethics of the Russian Football Union (RFU), Andrei Sozin, commenting on the gesture of the chairman of the board of St. Petersburg “Zenith” Alexander Medvedev to the Moscow “Spartak”, noted that he did not see anything criminal in it.
On Monday, the Zenit press service published a video on the YouTube channel from the first day of the team's training camp in Abu Dhabi (UAE). On it, Medvedev greeted each team player, and during a dialogue with the Brazilian player Claudinho showed an obscene gesture. At the same time, he explained in words that this gesture refers to Spartak. The video was later deleted.
“»I don’t think that Alexander Ivanovich went beyond the bounds in this case, there is nothing to punish here. It’s a little jarring, though, since he still occupies a respectable position. There is a certain element of childishness, he overacts a little. But «I don't see anything so criminal in this. Well, Alexander Ivanovich doesn't like Spartak, what can you do?! And so, such things, of course, add interest from the public, especially since the championship is on pause. This is part of the game,» Sozin said.
Medvedev himself said that in a conversation with the team player Claudinho asked him to score two goals and give an assist in the next match against Spartak Moscow.