Duma Deputy Speaker Wants Football Finances Probed

Russian football fans might be in for a shock.

A deputy speaker of Russia's State Duma has asked the prosecutor-general to investigate the financial records of the Russian Football Union.

Parliamentarian Igor Lebedev told Reuters on August 22 that he thinks the union has spent too much money on contracts for foreign coaches instead of developing the game at the grassroots level.

He alleges the union ignored its own rules and made "dubious decisions" costing the state budget millions of dollars.

Among the records Lebedev wants examined are contract details of new national team coach Fabio Capello and former union president Sergei Fursenko.

Fursenko resigned after Russia's poor Euro 2012 performance.

The union last month hired Capello, the former England manager, as Russia's new coach, offering a reported annual salary of $12.4 million, despite facing a $30 million deficit.

Based on reporting by Reuters