Shprygin, who was deported from France in 2016
during the European Championship after violence flared there,
wrote on social media that his application for a World Cup fan
ID had been rejected.
Shprygin, who posted a screen grab of the rejection e-mail he
had received, told Reuters he had applied for a fan ID on
Wednesday because he was planning to attend the tournament's
opening match between Russia and Saudi Arabia on Thursday,
having been offered a ticket by friends.
But a minute later, he said, his application was rejected.
"I'm not really surprised," said Shprygin, who was not told why
his application had been rejected.
"If it wasn't for the Euro, maybe I could have a fan ID."
Russian authorities require World Cup ticket holders to obtain a
fan ID, a document that proves its holder has been vetted and
approved by security officials.
Russia's Ministry of Communications and Mass Media, which
oversees the fan ID program, did not reply to a request for
comment.
Shprygin was among a group of Russian fans expelled from France
after violent clashes before and during Russia's Euro 2016 match
against England in Marseille. He managed to re-enter France
later in the tournament, only to be expelled again.
The Russian Football Union severed its ties with Shprygin's
organization following the incident.
Last year Shprygin, whose name is not included on a Russian
Interior Ministry blacklist, was granted a fan ID to attend the
Confederations Cup, but it was revoked hours before the start of
the opening match.
Reuters learnt last month that a blacklisted fan had been
granted a fan ID. When this was brought to the authorities'
attention, the fan ID was revoked.
(Reporting by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber; Editing by Christian
Radnedge)
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