ManU has written to fans traveling to Russia for Thursday's Europa League clash to "warn them not to wear colours, keep a low profile and not 'attract attention.'" The club heads to the country to take on Russian Premier League side Rostov and there are "serious fears that their supporters may be targeted by Russian hooligans" (London DAILY MAIL, 3/6).
Premier League side Bournemouth was "forced to pay" £3,000 ($3,700) after potentially supplying unhygienic food to fans in the exec boxes. Health officials "seized grub at its Vitality Stadium last month and banned the use of a sandwich sealing machine." Russian tycoon Maxim Denmin, who took over Bournemouth in '11, and shirt sponsor Mansion Group place their guests in the VIP seats (THE SUN, 3/6).
Malaysia banned its football team from playing an Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup qualifying match in Pyongyang "citing security threats amid a diplomatic row over the killing of Kim Jong-Nam in Kuala Lumpur," officials said on Monday. FA of Malaysia General Secretary Hamidin Mohd Amin said in a statement, "The Malaysian Government's decision to expel North Korea's ambassador to Malaysia, Kang Chol on Saturday, appears to have made it unsafe for Malaysians to visit North Korea at this time" (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, 3/6).
ManU's Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Bournemouth defender Tyrone Mings "have been charged with violent conduct" by the FA. The pair "clashed" during the 1-1 draw between their sides on Saturday when Mings, 23, landed on Ibrahimovic's head "with his studs." Moments later, Ibrahimovic "caught Mings in the face with his elbow at a corner." The offenses would "result in three-match bans" if either player is found guilty (BBC, 3/6).
Over 2,000 U.K. referees "went on strike over the weekend in an attempt to protest against and raise awareness of abuse faced by officials at all levels of football." The action led to a "large number of games being postponed" across the U.K., as well as a "message of support" from a current Premier League referee (ESPN.com, 3/6).
A "culture of denial" remains around sectarianism in Scotland and football authorities are "not doing enough to tackle the issue," according to a study. Dr. Duncan Morrow does not believe sectarianism is the "biggest problem facing Scottish society" but said that it remains a "deep-rooted and serious" issue (SCOTSMAN, 3/6).
