World Cup stewards to be punished over Pussy Riot protest

MOSCOW – The chief organizer of Russia’s World Cup says stewards will be punished after protesters ran onto the field during the final.

Organizing committee CEO Alexei Sorokin tells Russia’s Sport Express newspaper “we will make (the stewards) ashamed” after four members of the Pussy Riot protest group and punk band ran onto the pitch dressed as police officers.

The game was briefly stopped as stewards chased the protesters, one of whom shared a high-five with France’s star forward Kylian Mbappe. France beat Croatia 4-2.

Sorokin says the stewards face “disciplinary measures” and suggests they backed down because of instinctive respect for police attire.

He adds “we all grew up respecting the uniform, you have to agree. Yes, the stewards were unprofessional, but it’s not fair to accuse them too harshly. The people who ran onto the field were too cunning.”