BILBAO, Spain — A Spanish riot police officer died of cardiac arrest after clashes involving Russian soccer fans before a Europa League match on Thursday between hosts Athletic Bilbao and Spartak Moscow, raising concerns less than four months before the World Cup in Russia. Earlier Thursday, German police arrested a Russian suspected of seriously injuring a British soccer fan during the European Championship in France two years ago. “UEFA strongly condemns the violent clashes which occurred in Bilbao,” the governing body for European soccer said in a statement. There were reports of other minor clashes involving Russian fans in Bilbao for Thursday’s match. Six years ago a fan died in Bilbao in clashes after a match between Athletic and German club Schalke.

Source: National Post February 22, 2018 22:29 UTC