Russian police to provide security escort for referees of 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup

MOSCOW, June 8. /TASS/. Police will be providing escort for all referees at the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, which is due to kick off next week in Russia, Head of Marketing Event Management FIFA World Cup Jay Neuhaus said on Thursday. The FIFA official said that each referee working at the prestigious football tournament in Russia would be escorted by law enforcement officers on the way from hotels to the stadiums and back, adding that the procedure of security escort would be eventually defined by the Russian Interior Ministry. Neuhaus also said that FIFA would provide about 84 buses during the tournament in Russia, and they include 19 buses for the transportation of national teams as well as some 50 buses for personnel, media and accredited staff members. The FIFA official said that in addition to buses dispatched for the needs of the tournament over 100 cars would be also offered as a supplement. Neuhaus said that that it rained hard recently in Russia, but weather conditions improved greatly in recent days in Russia with currently warm temperatures and cloudless skies hovering in all of four cities on the eve of the FIFA tournament. The FIFA Confederations Cup, dubbed the ‘Tournament of Champions,’ is also viewed by experts as just a rehearsal, with only one year to go to the FIFA World Cup. As part of the preparations for the prestigious FIFA tournaments, the Russian government decided to introduce the so-called fan-IDs. The fan-ID will play an important role in the provision of security during the major football tournaments in Russia as they would be granting admittance to the stadiums and would also serve as visas for foreign visitors to enter the country. A holder of the fan-ID will be allowed to enter the country without having a Russian visa and stay for the duration of the global football tournament as well as for the period of ten days before and after the championship. This year’s tournament will be held between June 17 and July 2 at four stadiums in Russia and they are Spartak Stadium in Moscow, St. Petersburg Stadium, Fisht Stadium in Sochi and the Kazan Arena in Kazan. Participants in the 2017 Confederations Cup are hosts Russia, 2014 FIFA World Cup Champions Germany, 2015 Copa America Champions Chile, 2015 AFC Asian Cup Champion Australia, 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup winners Mexico, 2016 UEFA Euro Cup champs Portugal, OFC (Oceania Football Confederation) Nations Cup victors New Zealand and 2017 CAF Africa Cup of Nations Champion Cameroon. The Draw for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup was held on November 26, 2016 in the Russian city of Kazan. Following the event, hosts Russia was placed in Group A alongside with Portugal, Mexico and New Zealand. Group B has brought together Germany, Chile, Australia and Cameroon. The opening game will be held in St. Petersburg on June 17 between Russia and New Zealand. Russia will face Portugal in Moscow on June 21 and on June 24 it will play Mexico in Kazan. Read more