Zenit St Petersburg reject fans group's demand for white heterosexual team
• Zenit reject 'any limitation regarding religion or skin colour'
• Coach speaks of 'need to respect other cultures and traditions'
After a fans' group wrote an open letter to the club demanding that they refrain from buying black and gay players, the Zenit St Petersburg head coach, Luciano Spalletti, today preached a message of tolerance and acceptance while alluding to the demand as "stupidity".
Landscrona, the largest Zenit supporters' club, had released a manifesto on Monday demanding the club field an all-white, heterosexual team. It added that "dark-skinned players are all but forced down Zenit's throat now, which only brings out a negative reaction" and said gay players were "unworthy of our great city".
But Zenit's director of sports, Dietmar Beiersdorfer, insisted that "we make our player selections without any limitation regarding origin, religion or skin colour". "Our club's goal is to win the Russian championship and to be highly competitive in international competitions as well," he said. "We have absolutely no policy in Zenit of limiting our player selection in any superficial way."
Zenit was the only top-flight Russian team without a black player until this summer, when they signed the Brazilian striker Hulk and Belgian midfielder Axel Witsel for a combined €80m (£65m). The French midfielder Yann M'Vila declined a move to the club in August after receiving death threats.
Asked for a personal definition of the world "tolerance", Spalletti answered: "Tolerance for me is most of all the ability to understand and accept differences. Furthermore, being tolerant means that you fight against any kind of stupidity." He also promised that the club would support local initiatives to combat xenophobia and racism.
"The club will support such initiatives and use every opportunity to contribute to this work," Spalletti said. "I can personally assure you that I will do everything I can to help those who seek to explain to people what tolerance is, and the need to respect other cultures and traditions. I think that Zenit has proven through its work that the club understands what tolerance is, and what it means to have tolerant behaviour. The team has gathered players from different countries and ethnic groups who work together to achieve a common goal, and work well. Their combined efforts bring tangible results. We've all worked together to achieve important results."
• Zenit reject 'any limitation regarding religion or skin colour'
• Coach speaks of 'need to respect other cultures and traditions'
After a fans' group wrote an open letter to the club demanding that they refrain from buying black and gay players, the Zenit St Petersburg head coach, Luciano Spalletti, today preached a message of tolerance and acceptance while alluding to the demand as "stupidity".
Landscrona, the largest Zenit supporters' club, had released a manifesto on Monday demanding the club field an all-white, heterosexual team. It added that "dark-skinned players are all but forced down Zenit's throat now, which only brings out a negative reaction" and said gay players were "unworthy of our great city".
But Zenit's director of sports, Dietmar Beiersdorfer, insisted that "we make our player selections without any limitation regarding origin, religion or skin colour". "Our club's goal is to win the Russian championship and to be highly competitive in international competitions as well," he said. "We have absolutely no policy in Zenit of limiting our player selection in any superficial way."
Zenit was the only top-flight Russian team without a black player until this summer, when they signed the Brazilian striker Hulk and Belgian midfielder Axel Witsel for a combined €80m (£65m). The French midfielder Yann M'Vila declined a move to the club in August after receiving death threats.
Asked for a personal definition of the world "tolerance", Spalletti answered: "Tolerance for me is most of all the ability to understand and accept differences. Furthermore, being tolerant means that you fight against any kind of stupidity." He also promised that the club would support local initiatives to combat xenophobia and racism.
"The club will support such initiatives and use every opportunity to contribute to this work," Spalletti said. "I can personally assure you that I will do everything I can to help those who seek to explain to people what tolerance is, and the need to respect other cultures and traditions. I think that Zenit has proven through its work that the club understands what tolerance is, and what it means to have tolerant behaviour. The team has gathered players from different countries and ethnic groups who work together to achieve a common goal, and work well. Their combined efforts bring tangible results. We've all worked together to achieve important results."