St. Petersburg, May 20 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Zenit St. Petersburg midfielder Roman Shirokov has apologised for making an obscene gesture at his team's fans during a game.
Shirokov was booed by large sections of the crowd during Sunday's 3-1 home win over FC Volga, apparently for congratulating arch-rivals CSKA Moscow on winning the Russian Premier League title on Twitter.
After scoring the third goal in injury time, the midfielder received a straight red card for directing an obscene gesture at the stands.
Zenit security held the 31-year-old player in the media zone for his own protection until the Zenit supporters left the arena.
"I regret what happened. I regret what I did. I admit that this gesture was completely unattractive. But together with that I'd like to clear up what exactly happened. This gesture was addressed to the people who were insulting me," Shirokov said on the Zenit website.
Shirokov has often had a fraught relationship with Zenit fans, partly because he started his career with rival Moscow team CSKA. Last year, a video went viral on YouTube showing Shirokov angrily remonstrating with Zenit fans who goaded him about his CSKA past.
He has played for Zenit since 2008, winning the Russian title twice, and is a regular for the Russian national team with 32 caps.--IANS/RIA Novosti
ss/vm
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app