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Chechen president's football outburst

Russian football officials have fined a leading Chechen club, Terek Grozny, after one of its keenest fans, the Chechen president, Ramzan Kadyrov, took over the public address system to shout abuse at the referee during a home game.

 

Nov 25,2013
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There can't be many parts of the world where the president takes to the loudspeaker during a football match to express his dismay. In the Chechen capital Grozny, everything is a little different. 

The president is also the city football club's biggest fan. And from the stands of Terek Grozny's stadium, shortly after the team's captain had been sent off in last Sunday's match, Ramzan Kadyrovgrasped the microphone. He called the referee corrupt and said he was a donkey. 

It didn't achieve much. The match was a nil-all draw and now the club will have to fork out a hefty fine - the equivalent of $3,200. The fine was doubled because after the match the strongman leader spent a few minutes in the dressing room with the referee, demanding an explanation, while his security guards kept the football officials at bay

Mr Kadyrov, who used to be Terek Grozny's president, is not the one being directly penalised. Instead it is the club that is picking up the bill.

Vocabulary

 

dismay

feeling of disappointment and surprise

sent off

told to leave the football pitch because of doing something that is not allowed

grasped

tightly held

corrupt

dishonest/not playing by the rules

nil-all draw

no goals were scored by either team

to fork out

to pay money, although they do not want to

hefty

large

at bay

under control

penalised

punished/forced to pay

picking up the bill

having to pay

 
 

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