Following the flares and chants during the Ligue 1 match between Paris Saint-Germain and Paris FC on January 4th (Matchday 17), the Professional Football League (LFP) has decided to sanction the Collectif Ultras Paris with a partial closure of the Auteuil stand for the home game against Lille this Friday (Matchday 18). The PSG supporters’ group responded in a statement.
“We acknowledge the decision, but we strongly condemn this sanction, which empties the stands and gradually kills the passion for French football. Seasons come and go, and nothing changes: the governing bodies continue to make decisions that keep supporters away from stadiums without engaging in any dialogue with those most directly affected.
As we have already explained, these are classic expressions of French football fans: raw, sometimes even crude, provocations to destabilize the opposition. There is no intention to target or discriminate against anyone; it’s simply the raw way supporters have always experienced rivalries. Yet, once again, it is the Collectif Ultras Paris and PSG who pay the heaviest price, with the partial closure of the Auteuil stand. Attacking Paris and its supporters only serves to cover up your hypocrisy in the media and pleases politicians given our media exposure.
Why don’t the governing bodies see that they are destroying the atmosphere that makes our stadiums so special? Why should we give in to certain radical groups who primarily seek visibility through football, especially when serious anti-homophobia organizations don’t follow this path, as evidenced by the productive discussions we’ve had together?
We must impose immediate sanctions to prevent the closure from coinciding with the following Classico (February 8th). Television ratings and the atmosphere of a showcase match take precedence over the coherence of the fight against homophobia. Such a foolish sanction will only reinforce the sense of injustice and achieve the opposite effect.”
It’s a complex battle, with shared responsibility. But the anger of the Collectif Ultras Paris is quite understandable. There are chants that have been ingrained for a long time that are suddenly being punished, especially at the Parc des Princes. Why don’t the same words elicit the same reactions in other stadiums? Why make it a battle for people who don’t necessarily see it? It’s time for real dialogue rather than sanctions.
Especially since these sanctions are inconsistent between stadiums (PSG’s opponents have never been targeted) and don’t really have any effect, except to fuel tensions. Here, a sanction imposed just two days in advance is particularly frustrating, given the usual notice period. The CUP (Collectif Ultras Paris) rightly points out that this allows for a full Parc des Princes for the next home Ligue 1 match against Marseille on February 8th (matchday 21). This match is likely to result in further sanctions following chants.
And let’s not forget the flares, often touted for creating atmosphere and sometimes even used in Ligue 1 “advertisements,” but always punished despite supporters continuing to claim there’s no risk. Here too, it’s time to talk things through rather than each acting unilaterally.
