Animal welfare group PETA has condemned footage of a performing bear delivering a football to a referee before a third division match between Mashuk-KMV and Angusht in Pyatigorsk.
YouTube footage emerged of 'Tim' the circus bear handing over a football to a referee and then standing up on his hind legs and clapping before the crowd during the Russian Professional Football League match on 14 April.
Russia hosts the FIFA World Cup from 14 June.
Mimi Bekcechi, head of campaigns for PETA Australia, slammed the footage as "inhumane and utterly out of touch".
"In addition to being inhumane and utterly out of touch, using a bear as a captive servant to deliver a football is downright dangerous unless, as is often the case, the animal's teeth and claws have been cruelly removed," Ms Bekhechi told SBS News in a statement.
It is not known if the bear in the video has his teeth or claws removed.
PETA said the incident highlights the cruel exploitation methods known to occur in Russia such as "beatings, electric shocks and food deprivation" that are used to make bears perform "belittling, stupid tricks".
"The bear is the symbol of Russia, so we hope the country's people will show some compassion and national pride and stop abusing them. Common decency should compel the football league to pull this stunt, which flies in the face of the spirit of fair play," the statement added.
SBS News has contacted FIFA for comment.
