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Zenit St Petersburg fans petition club to sack black players and demand all-white heterosexual team


An influential group of Zenit St. Petersburg fans have called on the Russian club to field an all-white heterosexual team following the acquisition of Brazilian forward Hulk.

By Telegraph Sport

3:56PM GMT 17 Dec 2012

The supporters' club Landscrona published an open letter called the "Selection 12 manifesto" on its website on Monday, in which it urged the club to continue with the "important tradition" of selecting only white players.

The manifesto called on the club to include only home-grown or European players in the team. Landscrona also expressed their opposition to the team including "sexual minorities" in the line-up.

Zenit have been in turmoil for the past few months with several senior players unhappy after the wealthy club splashed out more than £61 million on Brazilian Hulk and Belgium midfielder Axel Witsel just before the transfer deadline.

The club demoted Russia skipper Igor Denisov to the reserve team in September after he refused to play, issuing an ultimatum to renegotiate his contract in line with what Hulk was making. Denisov was later allowed to rejoin the first team after making an apology.

"We're not racists but we see the absence of black players at Zenit as an important tradition," the letter said.
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"We only want players from other brotherly Slav nations, such as Ukraine and Belarus as well as from the Baltic states and Scandinavia. We have the same mentality and historical and cultural background as these nations."

Former Zenit and Russia striker Alexander Panov said the fans have no right to influence the club's selection policy.

"If we don't have enough good players from St Petersburg, then what should the club do?" the St Petersburg native was quoted as saying by local media.

"All clubs around the world have black players. If they are absent from Zenit – it's Zenit's problem. I don't think fans should demand the club buy or don't buy certain players. The fans have the right to go to the stadium or stay home."

In 2008 former manager Dick Advocaat admitted that signing black players was an option not available to him due to the fierce opposition he would face from Zenit fans.

"I would be happy to sign anyone, but the fans don't like black players," said the former Holland coach. "Quite honestly, I do not understand how they could pay so much attention to skin colour."

St Petersburg is one of the host cities for the 2018 World Cup.