2024-11-08 09:04:00
Representatives of the French Football Federation (FFF) and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are invited, Friday, November 8 morning, to the Ministry of Sports to review the conditions under which a tifo in favor of Palestine could be deployed two days earlier at the Parc des Princes, before the Champions League match against Atlético de Madrid. They will be received by the Minister, Gil Avérous, and the Secretary of State in charge of citizenship and the fight against discrimination, attached to the Ministry of the Interior, Othman Nasrou.
In the latter’s entourage, it is estimated that UEFA, the European organizing body of the competition, “underreacted” by announcing on Thursday that it would not initiate any proceedings against the capital club. This prohibits any messages in stadiums “of a political, ideological, religious nature” if it is deemed offensive and can resort to sanctions under article 16.4 of its disciplinary regulations. But the immense canvas proclaiming « Free Palestine » (Free Palestine), above a banner pleading for “war on the ground but peace in the world”exhibited in the Auteuil stand, “cannot be considered provocative or insulting in this specific case”she estimated.
On social networks, members of the Collectif Ultras Paris (CUP) – the largest group of PSG supporters – at the origin of the tifo, assured that“in no case” the one “was not intended to convey a message of hatred, quite the contrary”.
Additional tension
Before UEFA’s decision, Thursday, the Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, had strongly criticized the tifo in question, believing that it “had no place in this stadium”. “I ask PSG to explain themselves and the clubs to ensure that politics does not damage sport, which must always remain a catalyst for unity”wrote the tenant of Place Beauvau on his X account. Then added, shortly after, on Sud Radio: “I want to know more, to know how this tarpaulin arrived, how it could have been deployed… I had the police chief tell me what had happened (…). I demand accountability. Solemnly. » Gil Avérous had also, on X, denounced “unacceptable deviations”. “Sports fields should not become political forums”he added.
Paris Saint-Germain was not aware of the content of the message contained in this tifo, specifies a source within the club, who wishes to emphasize “that the Parc des Princes is – and must remain – a place of communion around a common passion for football”. “When PSG says that it was not aware, we have the right to wonder if they are making fun of us or if their security system is totally faulty”people around Mr. Nasrou argue.
This affair creates additional tension, a few days before the meeting between the French football team and the selection of Israel on November 14, at the Stade de France, in the international context of multiple clashes in the Porche-Orient. The organization of this match is particularly complex in terms of security.
Belgium had given up hosting the Israeli team in September; the meeting had been relocated to Hungary. In October, Italy opted for Udine and a small enclosure, with the establishment of a « zone rouge » forty-eight hours before kick-off and a reduced number of spectators, for their duel. In mid-October, Bruno Retailleau repeated that the meeting with the Blues would be held in Saint-Denis, but he left the door open to a possible reduction in the stadium’s capacity. Thursday evening, violent clashes broke out in Amsterdam, on the sidelines of a Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel-Aviv.
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The club, and it expressed its concern over the situation. PSG stated that it values unity and does not support any political messages that could incite division among fans. The controversy surrounding the tifo has sparked debates about the role of sports in political expression, especially in a charged atmosphere like that of the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.
Tensions have escalated in the lead-up to the match, with various stakeholders in French football calling for clear guidelines on the presentation of socio-political messages in stadiums. The FFF and PSG’s meeting on November 8 is seen as a chance to establish these guidelines and address the implications of the incident for future events.
As PSG prepares to face Atlético de Madrid later this week, the situation remains fluid, with potential repercussions for how fans express their sentiments at sporting events in the future. The club urges supporters to focus on creating a positive atmosphere rather than engaging in political discourse during matches.