French football experienced another violence after Olympique Marseille’s Ligue 1 match against Lyon was called off on Sunday when the visitors’ bus and some fans were pelted with stones and beer bottles, injuring Lyon coach Fabio Grosso.
Fabio Grosso sustained facial injuries during the incident, leaving league officials to deal with another episode of rioting fans.Since Sunday’s incidents happened outside Marseille’s Stade Velodrome, the French League (LFP) have no jurisdiction to impose points deductions, although it could decide that the game has to be played behind closed doors.
Interior minister Gerald Darmanin said nine people had been detained so far, “I hope the highest possible prison sentences will be handed to those fans that ruined the party for everyone,” he added on BFM TV.
The incidents are a bad look for the LFP, who have been negotiating a TV rights deal for 2024-29, with the tender ending on Thursday, and made for embarrassing footage less than a year before the 2024 Paris Olympics.
After the incident, Lyon release an official statement, Lyon said in a statement, with the club adding they would lodge a formal legal complaint.“What happened to Fabio Grosso is totally unacceptable,” OM president Pablo Longoria said.“This is something that cannot happen in football. Even if it happened outside of the stadium, it is unacceptable. I am angry and appalled by the situation.”Marseille condemned the behaviour of their fans in a statement on Monday.“Olympique de Marseille deplores the unacceptable incidents that took place in the vicinity of the Stade Orange Velodrome, involving the professional team bus and buses of Olympique Lyonnais supporters,” the statement read.
“The club wishes Lyon coach Fabio Grosso a speedy recovery and strongly condemns this violent behaviour, which has no place in the world of football or in society.”
Sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera told France 2 TV, adding that fans had also been chanting homophobic and racist slurs inside Marseille’s Stade Velodrome.“It was distressing, revolting, disgusting.”Lyon condemned their fans’ behaviour after some were seen making Nazi salutes at the Velodrome.“OL firmly condemns the unacceptable racist behaviour of individuals in the stands on Sunday,” the club said in a statement.“The club has requested the footage in order to identify the perpetrators of any act contrary to the law, but also contrary to its values, and reiterates its determination to keep them away from the stands.”
