Russia Drops ID Requirement For Stadium Entry, Will Decide On A Case-By-Case Basis

An initiative to force fans attending any sports event in Russia to bring ID with them "has been killed off," according to R-SPORT. The head of the Russian parliament's sports committee said that the government "will decide when the rule will be applied on a case-by-case basis." Russia "is trying to address an ingrained hooliganism problem by passing a bill that toughens up security at arenas as well as the punishment for law-breakers." Forcing fans to show their ID to gain entry to stadiums "had been a part of the new legislation," which passed in a second reading on Friday, but new amendments "rule it out unless the government intervenes" (R-SPORT, 6/25).