The Russian Football Union (RFU) has banned Sochi forward Vladimir Pisarsky (Sychevoy) from all football activities for four years, according to his lawyer Anton Smirnov. The RFU has not officially commented on the matter.
Pisarsky's suspension stems from allegations of betting on a match in which he participated. Smirnov clarified that three years of the ban are conditional, meaning the player can resume his career in July 2026.
"The RFU imposed this penalty solely under Article 18 of its Ethics Regulations regarding betting," Smirnov stated. "No evidence was found to support claims that Pisarsky manipulated the outcome of the Sochi vs. Pari NN match. Given the circumstances, this outcome is favorable—he neither deliberately underperformed nor attempted to influence the match result."