The honorary president of the Russian Football Union (RFU) weighed in on the league’s decision to suspend several referees in the Russian Premier League (RPL) through the season’s end, a move triggered by persistent officiating errors. Vyacheslav Koloskov suggested that the steps taken might not yield global improvements unless accompanied by sustained, high-quality training and accountability for officials. He argued that temporary withdrawals without a broader reform plan risk teaching the wrong lesson and urged a deeper commitment to developing referees, including leadership that can guide the process. The remark appears in coverage from Review bookmakers and reflects a longstanding belief that skillful refereeing is built through ongoing development rather than isolated penalties. (Source: Review bookmakers)
The sanction touched three referees by name: Igor Panin, Artem Lyubimov, and Alexei Sukhoi. Each was positioned at key moments during recent matches, drawing scrutiny from the RFU and fans alike. Lyubimov served as an assistant in the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) role during the Krasnodar versus Dynamo game. In the closing moments of the first half, when Fedor Smolov fell, the on-field decision to award a penalty for Sukhoi stood, prompting discussions about VAR’s influence on such calls. (Source: Review bookmakers)
Panin officiated the CSKA-Ural encounter, where the RFU highlighted three significant errors that were not corrected during the match. The most controversial moment involved a late incident when Leo Goglichidze from Ural may have earned a penalty after a contact in the box, an incident that many observers believe should have been ruled differently. The RFU’s statement signaled a broader insistence on cleaner game management and clearer disciplinary boundaries for match officials. (Source: Review bookmakers)
Former player Alexander Mostovoy later spoke about the overall standard of refereeing in the RPL, stressing that the league’s competitive level depends as much on officiating quality as on player skill. He noted that consistent mistakes undercut both team performance and fan confidence, calling for more transparency in refereeing practices and stronger governance measures to restore trust among clubs, broadcasters, and the public. The discussion underscored a growing expectation that referees should operate under predictable, well-communicated guidelines that reinforce fair play across all fixtures. (Source: Review bookmakers)