Russian Footballers to Wear Black Bands at Euro Match

The Russian national football team will wear mourning bands to acknowledge Karelian tragedy.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Russian national football team will wear mourning bands to acknowledge the tragedy in Karelia in which 13 children died, at Monday's Euro 2016 match against Wales in France's Toulouse, the Russian Football Union (RFS) said.

On Saturday, several boats carrying a 51-member group from Karelia's Park-Hotel Syamozero summer camp, consisting of children and their adult coaches, capsized on Lake Syamozero during a storm. According to the latest information, 13 children died and one remains missing. A criminal case was opened on Sunday, with several arrests made.

"On Monday, June 20, Toulouse will host the final match of the group stage of the European Championship in France between Russia and Wales. The Russian national team will take to the game in black mourning armbands to pay tribute to those children killed yesterday in a terrible tragedy in Karelia," the football body said in a statement.

According to media reports, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has issued an official permission for the Russian players to wear the mourning bands at the game.