• Igor Lebedev proposes legalised fights at 2018 World Cup in Russia • Nationalist MP told Euro 2016 hooligans: ‘Well done lads, keep it up!’

A Russian politician has proposed an unorthodox solution to the country’s problems with football hooliganism before hosting the World Cup next year – legalise it and make it a spectator sport.

Organised groups of Russian fans fought English supporters on the streets of Marseille during the European Championship last year.

Alexei Smertin named as Russia’s anti-racism inspector before 2018 World Cup Read more

That inspired Igor Lebedev, who sits in the Russian parliament, to draw up rules for what he calls “draka” – the Russian word for fight – with 20 unarmed fighters on each side in an arena. In a statement on the website of the nationalist LDPR party, Lebedev said organised brawls “could turn fans’ aggression in a peaceful direction”. He also claimed it would serve as an “example” for English fans, who he characterised as undisciplined louts and poor fighters.

“Russia would be a pioneer in a new sport,” said Lebedev, who also suggested fights between different fan groups could draw crowds of thousands. “English fans arrive, for example, and start picking fights. And they get the answer – challenge accepted. A meeting in a stadium at a set time.”

Some fan groups in Russia already hold illicit fights along similar lines, typically pre-arranged mass brawls in rural locations, away from police.

Russia’s Hooligan Army review – an appalling vision of men who seek honour in violence Read more

It is not the first time Lebedev has courted controversy with his views on hooligans. He lauded the violence in Marseille last year, telling Russian fans: “Well done lads, keep it up!”

In addition to his parliamentary duties as deputy speaker, Lebedev is on the board of the Russian Football Union. He is a longtime associate of the fan leader Alexander Shprygin, who was deported from France last year following the Marseille violence.

Despite his enthusiasm for football-related violence, Lebedev insisted that Russian policing meant foreign fans would not be in danger at the World Cup.

“We’ve taken all the safety measures, modernised legislation. Not a single tourist has any reason to fear travelling to our country in the summer of 2018.”