Zarema Salikhova, the wife of former Spartak Moscow owner Leonid Fedun, responded to pointed remarks from Sergei Yegorov, a former FIFA referee who told him to ly under the radar.
In a separate statement, Salikhova recalled her own days as a player in Russiaamed teams and offered her perspective from that perspective, aiming to highlight what she perceived as biased officiating in a recent Premier League match between Spartak and Zenit St. Petersburg. She noted that while she did not watch every moment, the broader context of the game raised questions about the decisions made on the field, pointing to the quality of play from the Brazilian players and suggesting that refereeing bias could influence outcomes.
Media outlets reported that Spartak intends to file a formal complaint with the Referee Committee of the Russian Football Union (ESK RFU). The club seeks a review of controversial calls from the most recent meeting, with a focus on penalties and critical decisions that shaped the match trajectory.
The club is expected to request the RFU committee evaluate two contentious episodes: first, a potential penalty not awarded to Keita Balde in the moments surrounding Robert Renan fault before Zenit second goal, and second, a foul by Daler Kuzyaev on Roman Zobnin. The aim is to ensure that conversations about fairness and consistency in officiating are part of the next steps in the league’s ongoing dialogue about refereeing standards.
Observers note that discussions on refereeing in Russian football have long circulated among teams and supporters, with calls for clearer criteria and more consistent enforcement across matches. Salikhova’s remarks add another layer to the public discourse, underscoring the broader desire among fans and club leadership for transparency and accountability in officiating. While the players and coaches navigate the strategic demands of high-level competition, these conversations reflect a recurring theme in top-flight football worldwide: the impact of refereeing on game results, team morale, and league credibility.
As the RFU reviews the case, the broader football community in Russia and beyond watches closely to gauge how decisions are assessed and corrected when necessary. The situation illustrates how a club president family connections to the sport, even when not directly involved in day-to-day management, can influence public dialogue and push for formal review channels that help preserve a sense of fairness on the pitch.