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Investigative Committee of Russia notes the increased incidence of children's injuries from falling football goals and calls for compliance with safety measures

The Investigative Committee of Russia draws the attention of parents to the need to systematically conduct explanatory work with children about compliance with safety rules at playgrounds and sports grounds. In addition, due to unscrupulous persons responsible for commissioning of defective and sometimes unusable equipment, the place for games can become a high-risk area.

Thus, the Bashkortostan Republican Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia launched a probe under Part 1 of Article 238 of the Criminal Code of Russia (rendering of services that do not meet safety requirements) into injuring of a child as a result of falling of football goals in Ufa. On May 24, 2021 a 12-year-old boy hung on the crossbar of a football goal located on a playground in a yard of a house on an Ufa street; as a result, the goals tipped over and fell on the child, inflicting him a head injury. In Moscow, on April 21, 2021 goals fell on an 11-year-old girl during a football game. The Moscow Main Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia is also investigating a probe under Part 1 of Article 238 of the Criminal Code of Russia. Apart from that, on May 4, 2021 in the Republic of Tatarstan football goals on a rural playground fell on a 9-year-old girl, the child was hospitalized. The Tatarstan Republican Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia is investigating a probe under Part 1 of Article 238  and Part 1 of Article 293 of the Criminal Code of Russia (neglect of duty). Investigation also continues into a fact of falling of football goals on a 10-year-old girl in Kazan in April 2021.

In all cases investigators of the Investigative Committee of Russia established causes and conditions of the incidents and analyse required technical and organizational and administrative documentation for the installed goals.  During investigation of the probes legal assessment is given to actions of persons responsible for compliance with safety requirements and standards at equipment maintenance.

Child injury prevention should be constantly vested not only on behalf of parents, but also of teachers, this way children will be maximally protected from the surrounding dangers. The Investigative Committee also draws the attention of officials, including heads of government bodies, employees of the prevention system, educational institutions, management companies and other persons, to the need to strictly fulfill their obligations to ensure the safety of children. The improper performance of one's duties entails criminal liability.