EM Düsseldorf – Paderborn
“Unbelievable” – criticism of France’s 177 km flight
Status: 2:22 p.m. | Reading time: 2 minutes
Harmless French through own goal in the quarter-finals – The victory over Belgium in video
France is in the quarter-finals after a 1-0 win over Belgium, but is still waiting for a goal from open play. The winning goal for the French team was scored by Belgian Vertonghen. The highlights are in the video.
After their European Championship victory against Belgium, the French team travels by plane from Düsseldorf to Paderborn. They even circumvent the night flight ban. Environmentalists react with outrage. But the French have an explanation ready.
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France’s national football team caused consternation with a short flight from Düsseldorf to Paderborn following their European Championship round of 16 victory against Belgium. As the responsible NRW Ministry of the Environment confirmed to the “Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger”, the French had submitted an application to circumvent the night flight ban that actually applies. The team’s departure was reportedly on Monday at 10.35 p.m. from Düsseldorf.
Criticism came promptly from the German Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND). “This is indeed unbelievable. This is one of the most absurd examples I have ever heard,” said BUND transport officer Werner Reh. “I assume that the team actually lost time.”
After the victory, the French team celebrated – and then made their way to the airport
Source: dpa/Marius Becker
According to the flight log, the charter flight lasted around half an hour. There was another bus ride of around half an hour from Paderborn Airport to the team quarters. In addition, there was the journey to Düsseldorf Airport and the usual regulations there, such as boarding times and check-in.
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In fact, the French had chosen the bus as their means of transport for this journey after their first group match against Austria in Düsseldorf. The journey to Bad Lippspringe took three hours and the team arrived at the camp at 3:20 a.m., completely exhausted. According to Figaro, the decision to take a charter flight after the Belgium match was made in response to this experience.
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France’s coach Didier Deschamps also complained about the bus that UEFA had provided the French team, which was too small and extremely uncomfortable, especially for tall players, and which did not meet the standards expected at a tournament such as the European Championships. France then ordered a second bus to give the players more space. “At this level of sport, details decide on good regeneration,” complained midfielder Adrien Rabiot at the time. In the end, this is more important to France’s national team than criticism from environmentalists.
