Russian Government Approves New Rules for Spectator Conduct at Sporting Events
Russia tightens fan behavior rules at sports events over 'traditional values'
The Russian government has approved new regulations governing fan behavior at sporting events, tightening restrictions on imagery and slogans displayed on flags, banners, and posters.
Under the updated rules, spectators' signs and banners must not promote the rejection of "traditional values," as defined by a presidential decree issued on November 9, 2022. Materials featuring offensive language or visuals—including those that could harm individuals or damage corporate reputations—are also prohibited.
The regulations expand the list of protected categories against humiliation, now covering not only gender, race, nationality, language, origin, and religion, but also membership in any social group.
As before, stadiums will continue to ban flags and banners that endorse violence, display banned symbols (including Nazi or similar imagery), contain profanity, or promote extremist, provocative, or commercial content.
The presidential decree defines traditional values as including the sanctity of life, human dignity, rights and freedoms, patriotism, civic responsibility, service to the motherland, moral ideals, strong family ties, productive labor, the primacy of the spiritual over the material, humanism, compassion, justice, collectivism, mutual aid and respect, historical memory, intergenerational continuity, and the unity of Russia's peoples.
On April 23, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov highlighted the potential of traditional values as a driver of development. Speaking at the "Eurasia: A Territory of Traditional Values" forum, he emphasized that while traditions are rooted in the past, they must be forward-looking and continuously refined.
