A group of 20 Russian football fans will be deported from France on Saturday after French authorities accused them of being involved in hooliganism – but they will not have their visas cancelled and all plan to return to France for Monday’s match against Wales, reports The Guardian.
The 20 were being held in a closed-off area at Nice airport before a scheduled flight to Moscow on Saturday afternoon.
Despite their impending removal from France, Alexander Shprygin, the leader of a Russian fan group who is among the 20 to be deported, says all will return for Monday’s game in Toulouse.
The 20 were part of a larger group of Russians who were detained by French authorities on Tuesday following violent disorder around England’s 1-1 draw with Russia last Saturday.
Three were convicted of offenses related to the violence and sentenced to prison terms of between one and two years.
Local authorities in St-Etienne are not planning to strengthen security measures before the arrival of England fans this weekend.
Thousands of supporters from England and Slovakia are expected to gather in the former industrial city in east central France on Monday for their team’s final Group B match at the European Championship.
The game is regarded as a high-risk match because supporters from both sides have fought each other in the past. At least one group of nationalist hooligans from Slovakia has called upon its members to “chase” England fans when they meet.