Vyacheslav Koloskov, who serves as the Honorary President of the Russian Football Union, weighed in on the recent incident involving Lokomotiv Moscow’s Artem Dzyuba. He urged people not to overreact or turn the matter into a bigger saga than it deserves, arguing that the discussion should stay grounded in football and personal sentiment rather than punitive judgments. His perspective appeared in commentary published by Euro-Football.Ru, where he urged restraint and a focus on the game rather than controversy surrounding a private celebration.
According to Koloskov, condemning the incident would lead to excessive judgment detached from the actual events. He noted that Dzyuba shared a simple act of singing a song he likes in a personal moment, and emphasized that such acts should be understood through the lens of affection rather than moralizing. He asked a pointed question: was the act truly criminal, or did it represent a personal choice made on a private occasion? The implication, as presented by Koloskov, is that the emotional context and intent matter more than the selection of the song itself, and that the public would benefit from focusing on the player’s professional contributions rather than an offhand moment.
Artem Dzyuba has a long career in Russian football, having spent seven seasons in St. Petersburg with Zenit, where he helped the club win multiple domestic titles, including the Russian Championship and the National Cup. His time with Zenit established him as a prominent figure in Russian football. Beyond Zenit, Dzyuba’s journey has included stints with Rostov and Arsenal Tula, further shaping his reputation as a durable forward capable of influencing major matches. He is also recognized as one of the top scorers for the Russian national team, sharing that distinction with Alexander Kerzhakov at various points in his international career. This history reflects a player who has consistently been at the center of domestic competition and national team discussions for many years.
Last season, Dzyuba joined Lokomotiv Moscow, signing a contract that was later extended under a 1+1 arrangement. The current season has seen him participate in a substantial portion of the league schedule, contributing to the team with goals and assists that illustrate his ongoing value. In the Russian Championship, he has taken the field in 16 league matches and added four appearances in the National Cup, where he has tallied four goals and three assists. The prior season saw him sharing the club’s top-scorer honor with teammates Izidor and Anton Miranchuk, who both returned to the squad for only part of the season, making the achievement particularly notable for a club with a dynamic attacking lineup. These statistics underline Dzyuba’s continued relevance in the league and his ability to impact games across different competitions and formats.
Previously, Lokomotiv Moscow released content featuring Dzyuba following the moment in question, highlighting the ongoing interest and conversation surrounding the player’s public image and the team’s communications strategy. The broader context remains one of balancing a high-pressure professional environment with personal moments that fans and media often scrutinize, a dynamic that has characterized many high-profile footballers in recent years. The discussion surrounding Dzyuba’s gesture, and Koloskov’s response, fits into a wider dialogue about how public figures manage personal expressions while carrying the expectations that come with representing a major club and a national team. It is clear that the topic will continue to appear in sports discourse as observers weigh the player’s performances against moments off the pitch and the nature of media coverage that follows such events.