Calls for the 2018 World Cup to be taken from Russia are set to increase dramatically after female fans were forced to be strip-searched by male police officers in Kazan, with the president of the Republic of Tatarstan telling women attending games that they can expect the same treatment at future games.

Ekaterina Stepanova took to the internet to describe her horrific ordeal before a match between Rubin Kazan and Spartak Moscow, played in the Republic of Tatarstan, Kazan, at the end of last month.

Stepanova, a Spartak fan, posted on her blog that before the match “girls were forced to strip, including the removal of their underwear.”

She was told by police at the stadium — after her ticket had already been scanned and she was inside the ground — that the search was necessary as she may have been carrying a bomb.

She refused to be subjected to a strip-search in front of other people so was instead searched “in the usual way with dirty gloves over my t-shirt and gloves.”

After the search took place, she was then told that the previous search was not conducted properly but she refused to be searched again and was eventually let into the stadium.

Throughout all of this, Stepanova said she saw “girls being undressed completely, including underwear,” and wrote the blog as an attempt to raise awareness and seek justice.

She added: “I encourage all the girls who were forced to undress, violating their constitutional rights by offending their honour and dignity, to apply to the official fan club of Spartak Moscow for legal aid.

“The more statements from us, the more likely it is the police will treat us with respect. Do not stay away. This applies to all.”

But the president of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov has said that any female attending forthcoming football matches will be asked to searched in the same degrading manner.

Minnikhanov is quoted as saying: “All the actions taken by police were tough but absolutely legal.

“And the next time this situation arises, the Tatarstan police will do the same thing.”

The Russian league secretary has confirmed that the league and the club have complained about the “rough treatment” received by female fans.