Unanimous reactions. On this morning of Monday October 30, it was in turn the Minister of Sports, the President of the International Football Federation (FIFA) and the Minister of the Interior who unanimously condemned the stone-throwing of the players’ bus of Olympique Lyonnais (OL) before the Ligue 1 match that they were to play against Olympique de Marseille (OM) at the Stade-Vélodrome, postponed the day before because of this violence.
On Sunday evening, the Gones bus was targeted by projectiles, injuring the coach, Fabio Grosso, and his assistant Raffaele Longo. Buses of Lyon supporters were also targeted.
On Franceinfo, the Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, pointed out the responsibility of the clubs: “If it is established that there are supporters involved (…), the clubs cannot lose interest in this, the associations neither do supporters, neither does the League. » She wanted “a global response” which would involve “justice, maintaining order, dialogue within all bodies in the sports sector which must all be held accountable”.
“No place for them in our sport.”
Same story at Place Beauvau. The Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, judged on the set of BFM-TV/RMC that the incidents which led to the postponement of the match were “unacceptable”, adding that they had given rise to “nine arrests” and that five police officers were injured. The minister argued that “500 police and gendarmes had been mobilized” to ensure the security of this match. According to him, there was “no failure” on the part of the police. “It is up to the club to manage its supporters,” he said, also calling for “the largest possible prison sentences”.
“There is absolutely no place for violence in football,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino in a message published on Instagram overnight from Sunday to Monday. “Such events, like those that occurred in Marseille before the Ligue 1 match between Olympique de Marseille and Olympique Lyonnais, have no place in our sport or in our society and I call on the competent authorities to ensure that appropriate measures are taken,” the FIFA boss also wrote.
