Football

Court rejects Russian footballers’ appeal over attack

Published

8 years ago

October 20, 2018

Editor

A Russian court on Friday rejected appeals by two ex -international footballers who have been charged over an unprovoked attack on two government officials .

Krasnodar midfielder Pavel Mamaev and Zenit Saint Petersburg forward Alexander Kokorin have been behind bars since last week pending a “ hooliganism ” trial and were officially charged Thursday .

They will be detained until at least December 8 and face up to seven years in jail if they are convicted.

“He cannot interrupt his training process , it will affect his professional activity, ” Mamaev ’ s lawyer told the Moscow court during the appeal, according to agencies .

However both his and Kokorin ’ s requests were rejected.

Video footage caught the two men attacking two Russian trade ministry officials in an upscale Moscow cafe this month.

One of the officials , Denis Pak , an ethnic Korean , was hit with a chair while eating a meal.

Russian Premier League chiefs have requested a lifetime ban for the pair .

Krasnodar have pledged to terminate Mamaev ’ s contract while Zenit condemned Kokorin ’ s role as “ disgusting ”.

Kokorin last played for the national side in late 2017 , while Mamaev was last selected in 2016 .

It is not the first time the players ’ behaviour has brought condemnation .

The Russian Football Union (RFU ) suspended the pair in July 2016 after a video emerged from a Monte Carlo nightclub in which Mamaev and Kokorin allegedly spent $ 296 , 000 (258 , 000 euros ) on a champagne – fuelled party following Euro 2016, where Russia flopped .

Kokorin , who sat out this year ’ s World Cup with a knee injury , later apologised for his behaviour and was welcomed back into the national team .