Former Premier League Striker Pogrebnyak Fined for Racist Comments

By Max Wise

Former Russian and Premier League striker Pavel Pogrebnyak has been fined £2,950 by the Russian Football Union for making racist remarks about black players.

The punishment for the former Fulham and Reading striker comes in a week that has largely been dominated by issues related to racism.

Pogrebnyak made the comments in a recent interview with a local publication, where he questioned why foreigners were being called up into the Russia national team.

Pogrebnyak cited Brazilian-born players, defender Mario Fernandez of CSKA Moscow, who featured for Russia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and FC Kuban Krasnodar striker, Ari, questioning why they have been called up to represent Russia at the expense of other local stars.

"I don't see the point of this. I do not understand at all why Ari received a Russian passport," he said.

"It is laughable when a black player represents the Russian national side," Pogrebnyak is reported to have said.

"Mario Fernandes is a top player. But we also have Igor Smolnikov in his position. We could make do without foreigners as well."

In addition to the fine, Pogrebnyak, who spent three years playing in England, has been given a suspended ban until the end of the season, which would be activated if he makes further discriminatory comments.

Pogrebnyak later clarified his statement about the issue, stating that he was only calling for Russian-born players to be allowed to represent the national team.

"In the interview, I voiced my strictly personal opinion that in the Russian national side I would like to see footballers who were born and raised in our country. That is all," he said.

"I did not mean to insult anyone."

The 35-year-old former Russian international currently plays for Ural Yekaterinburg in the Russian Premier League.