After Saint-Etienne-Lyon: Stop Matches After Projectile Threat?
- SAINT-ETIENNE, France – A Ligue 1 derby between saint-Etienne and Lyon was temporarily suspended Sunday evening after an assistant referee was struck by a coin thrown from the...
- Assistant referee Mehdi Rahmouni was hit in the head by the projectile,prompting central referee François Letexier to immediately send both teams to the locker room.The game resumed after...
- The incident follows a similar occurrence two days prior during a derby match between Rouen clubs, where an assistant referee was struck by a lighter.
Coin Thrown at Referee Mars Ligue 1 Derby, Reigniting Debate on Football Violence
Table of Contents
- Coin Thrown at Referee Mars Ligue 1 Derby, Reigniting Debate on Football Violence
- Coin Thrown at Referee Mars Ligue 1 Derby,Reigniting Debate on Football Violence
- What happened at the Saint-Etienne vs. Lyon Ligue 1 derby?
- What were the immediate consequences of the coin-throwing incident?
- Why is this incident raising concerns?
- When shoudl a football match be abandoned due to fan violence?
- What is the history of violence against referees in French football?
- What have been the official responses to these incidents?
- What crowd control measures are in place?
- What are the potential consequences for Saint-Etienne?
- What are the differing opinions on how to address fan violence?
- Are there concerns about the impact of these events on referee recruitment?
- Summary of Incidents and Outcomes
SAINT-ETIENNE, France – A Ligue 1 derby between saint-Etienne and Lyon was temporarily suspended Sunday evening after an assistant referee was struck by a coin thrown from the stands.The incident, which occurred just before halftime, has once again raised concerns about fan violence and the safety of officials in French football.
Assistant referee Mehdi Rahmouni was hit in the head by the projectile,prompting central referee François Letexier to immediately send both teams to the locker room.The game resumed after a 45-minute delay, with Saint-Etienne ultimately defeating Lyon 2-1.
The incident follows a similar occurrence two days prior during a derby match between Rouen clubs, where an assistant referee was struck by a lighter. These events beg the question: when should a match be abandoned altogether?
History of Violence Against Referees
Past incidents highlight the dangers faced by referees in French football:
- 2000: During a Strasbourg-Metz match, assistant referee Nelly Viennot was struck by a firecracker and had to be stretchered off the field.
- 2016: In a Metz-OL game, Lyon goalkeeper anthony Lopes collapsed after a firecracker exploded near him.
- 2021: Marseille’s dimitri Payet was hit by a water bottle thrown by a lyon supporter.
In all three instances, the matches where interrupted and later replayed behind closed doors.
Following the Payet incident, a government crisis cell established a policy of “systematically interrupting” a match if a referee or player is physically injured by a projectile. Lyon President John Textor stated that coins were already being thrown at his players during the pre-match warm-up Sunday.
Crowd Control Measures
The Professional Football League (LFP) regulations state that a referee can delay or interrupt a match due to serious incidents, perhaps leading to the players and officials returning to the locker room. The match can only resume if the incidents have ceased.
However, in what some observers described as a bizarre sequence of events, the LFP delegate at the Saint-Etienne match reportedly stated that Rahmouni was “not injured” and decided to continue after taking pain medication. The delegate added that any further projectile throwing would result in a final stoppage of the game.
With a packed stadium and Saint-Etienne leading, permanently stopping the match could have been risky due to potential crowd reactions, especially considering the team’s fight to avoid relegation from Ligue 1. The Loire prefect, present at the stadium, noted the absence of public disorder and supported the referees’ decision.
Calls for Stronger action
Following the game, authorities identified and arrested a suspect in connection with the coin-throwing incident. Saint-Etienne announced it would take the “moast severe sanctions” against the individual.The club is also likely to face disciplinary action from the league,including potential fines,stadium closures,or point deductions.
Former referee bruno Derrien believes that while penalizing the entire stadium for the actions of one individual might seem excessive, the question of abandoning matches due to fan violence will inevitably arise. “The authors of these gestures must realize the consequences,” Derrien saeid. “If you want to send a strong message to everyone, maybe radical measures must be taken.”
French federation president Philippe Diallo has asked Antony Gautier, the head of French refereeing, to consider stricter sanctions and legal proceedings for offenders, including the potential use of on-body cameras for referees.
“Do you imagine how far we have to go to protect them?” Derrien lamented. “And then we are surprised that there are no more vocations.” The French Football federation (FFF) has just over 24,000 referees this season, a decrease of 1,000 as 2015.
Coin Thrown at Referee Mars Ligue 1 Derby,Reigniting Debate on Football Violence
What happened at the Saint-Etienne vs. Lyon Ligue 1 derby?
On Sunday evening, during a Ligue 1 derby between Saint-Etienne and Lyon, an assistant referee was struck by a coin thrown from the stands. The incident occurred just before halftime, leading to a temporary suspension of the match.
What were the immediate consequences of the coin-throwing incident?
The assistant referee,Mehdi Rahmouni,was hit in the head by the projectile. Central referee François Letexier immediately sent both teams to the locker room. After a 45-minute delay,the game resumed,with Saint-Etienne ultimately winning 2-1. Authorities also identified and arrested a suspect in connection with the incident.
Why is this incident raising concerns?
This event has reignited concerns about fan violence and the safety of officials in French football. The incident follows a similar occurrence two days prior, where an assistant referee was struck by a lighter during a derby match between Rouen clubs.
When shoudl a football match be abandoned due to fan violence?
This question is central to the debate.The incident at the Saint-Etienne vs. Lyon match, and similar past events, have brought the question of match abandonment to the forefront. The regulations allow for a game to be delayed or interrupted due to serious incidents. However,the decision to abandon a match is complex,considering factors like the severity of the incident and potential crowd reactions.
What is the history of violence against referees in French football?
The article highlights several past incidents:
2000: Assistant referee Nelly Viennot was struck by a firecracker during a strasbourg-Metz match.
2016: Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes collapsed after a firecracker exploded near him during a Metz-OL game.
* 2021: Marseille’s Dimitri Payet was hit by a water bottle thrown by a Lyon supporter.
In all three instances, the matches were interrupted and later replayed behind closed doors.
What have been the official responses to these incidents?
Following the Payet incident, a government crisis cell established a policy of “systematically interrupting” a match if a referee or player is physically injured by a projectile. The Professional Football League (LFP) regulations allow referees to delay or interrupt a match due to serious incidents. The French Football Federation (FFF) is also considering stricter sanctions, including potential legal proceedings and the use of on-body cameras for referees. Saint-Etienne announced that they would take “the most severe sanctions” against the individual responsible for the coin-throwing. They are also likely to face disciplinary action.
What crowd control measures are in place?
The LFP regulations allow referees to delay or interrupt matches due to serious incidents. Though, the delegate at the Saint-Etienne match decided to continue the game after the assistant referee took pain medication, stating that further projectile throwing would result in a final stoppage.
What are the potential consequences for Saint-Etienne?
Saint-Etienne is highly likely to face disciplinary action from the league, which could include fines, stadium closures, or point deductions.
What are the differing opinions on how to address fan violence?
Former referee Bruno Derrien believes that while penalizing the entire stadium for the actions of one individual might seem excessive,abandoning matches might need to be considered. French Federation President Philippe Diallo has asked for stricter sanctions and legal proceedings, including on-body cameras for referees.
Are there concerns about the impact of these events on referee recruitment?
Yes. Former referee Bruno Derrien lamented, “Do you imagine how far we have to go to protect them? And then we are surprised that there are no more vocations.” The French Football Federation (FFF) has seen the number of referees decrease, with just over 24,000 this season, a decrease of 1,000 since 2015.
Summary of Incidents and Outcomes
Here’s a summary of the incidents mentioned in the article:
| Year | Match | Incident | outcome/Response |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Strasbourg-Metz | Assistant referee struck by firecracker | Match interrupted |
| 2016 | Metz-OL | Exploding firecracker near Lyon goalkeeper | Match interrupted |
| 2021 | Marseille-Lyon | Dimitri Payet hit by water bottle | Match interrupted, replayed behind closed doors |
| Recent | Saint-Etienne-Lyon | Assistant referee struck by coin | Match temporarily suspended, suspect arrested, Saint-Etienne faces potential disciplinary action |