Andrei Tikhonov Criticizes Female Referee, Disqualified and Fined by RFU – Full Story

After the game of the 28th round of the First League, in which Enisey lost to Khabarovsk SKA with a score of 0:3, Andrei Tikhonov criticized the work of Vera Opeikina and expressed his dissatisfaction with the fact that a woman was appointed to the game of his team. Later Tikhonov was noted, which applies well to female judges and does not usually divide judges into women and men. It was just about professionalism – in 2024, Vera Opeikina did not work at the matches of the First and Second League.

On May 3, the control and disciplinary committee of the Russian Football Union (KDK RFU) decided to disqualify the head coach of Yenisei. Also, Tikhonov, who participated in the meeting via video link, apologized to Opeikina.

“After considering all the materials of the case, the CDC made a decision: for an action aimed at humiliating the dignity of a person on the basis of gender, the disqualification of Tikhonov for five games of the First League, consider three games as a real performance, two as suspension, and a fine of 50 thousand rubles. The probationary period is one year,” said CDC chief Artur Grigoryants.

Enisey is ninth in the First League with 40 points. The leaders in the competition are Khimki and Dynamo Makhachkala. They have 54 and 52 points, respectively.

53-year-old Andrei Tikhonov played during his football career for Spartak Moscow, Krylya Sovetov, Khimki, as well as Maccabi (Tel Aviv) and Lokomotiv (Astana). In January 2024, Tikhonov took charge of Enisey, having previously worked as the head coach of the Krasnoyarsk club from 2016 to 2017. Tikhonov was also an assistant coach at Spartak Moscow and Krasnodar, and was also the head coach of Krylia Sovetov and Astana.