The forward made the remarks in reference to the naturalisation of overseas players and could now face a ban from the Russian Football Union <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
A Russian government official has condemned former Fulham striker Pavel Pogrebnyak over comments he made in a newspaper interview claiming\u00a0that it is “laughable” for a black footballer to represent Russia.<\/p>\n
Vladimir Putin\u2019s human rights advisor, Mikhail Fedotov, said Pogrebnyak\u2019s comments “smelt of racism” after the Ural Yekaterinburg forward spoke out against the number of naturalised Russians representing the national team.<\/p>\n
The 35-year-old, who played for both Fulham and Reading during a three-year stay in England, represented Russia 33 times, and played at the European Championship\u00a0in 2012.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
He made the controversial remarks in an interview with a local tabloid in the central Russian city of Yekaterinburg, saying: “I don’t see the point of this. I do not understand at all why Ari (Brazilian-born Ariclenes da Silva Ferreira)\u00a0received a Russian passport.<\/p>\n
“It is laughable when a black player represents the Russian national side. Mario Fernandes is a top player. But we also have Igor Smolnikov in his position. We could make do without foreigners as well.”<\/p>\n
Responding to Pogrebnyak\u2019s claims, head of Russia\u2019s presidential Human Rights Council, Fedotov told TV channel Moscow 360: “I believe that any football player who plays well and has Russian citizenship has a right to represent the Russian national side.<\/p>\n