The Russian Embassy in Helsinki has spoken out against an incident where ethnic Russian football players were subjected to offensive chants during a championship match in Finland. The incident occurred during a game between two Finnish clubs, TPS and Jaro, in Turku on October 3rd. At one point, spectators began chanting derogatory slogans directed at Jaro players, Sergey Lazarev and Sergey Eremenko. The match was halted and seven people were removed from the stadium.
St. Petersburg-born Lazarev is a Russian national, while Eremenko was born in Finland to Russian parents and holds dual citizenship. TPS Executive Director Kim Ekroos has condemned the behavior of the fans, offering an apology on behalf of his club. He stated that they have a zero tolerance policy for racism and those who behave in such a manner are not welcome at their matches.
The Russian Embassy released a statement addressing the situation on Sunday, strongly condemning the “outrageous” incident. The embassy pointed out the increasing level of anti-Russian sentiment in Finland, which has made its way into the sports world. They criticized Finnish authorities for their perceived lack of action to address this issue.
The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has led to a surge in calls from Western countries to boycott Russian businesses and individuals. Since 2022, Russia has been banned from participating in numerous sporting events, including the Olympics. Moscow has accused Finland and other European nations of deliberately promoting anti-Russian sentiment as a political weapon.