Exceptional encounter, exceptional device. Considered a separate match in a season, a moment suspended, expected or feared, the arrival of the Partizan Belgrade basketball club and its cohort of enthusiastic Serbian supporters, this Thursday (8:45 p.m.) during the 7th day of the Euroleague, forced Paris Basketball to adapt, to review its usual organization.
Because if “only” 500 Grobari – the name given to Partizan supporters – will officially make the trip from Belgrade, the Parisian club expects at least ten times more. “Between 2000 and 2500, the club had a strong fan community in France and the Paris region,” confides a Paris Basketball manager. At least a third of the room will therefore be in Partizan colors. The match will be played behind closed doors.
Set up opposite Red Star Belgrade at the beginning of October, “special parking” will once again be offered. “A whole part of the Adidas Arena will be reserved for Serbian supporters,” explains Nicolas Seignez, head of events at Paris Basketball. There will be a dedicated entrance, dedicated refreshments to avoid exchanges between supporters… We had planned it for 700 supporters for the Red Star, this time there will be 1000 but there will undoubtedly be more. »
To channel the influx of spectators and ensure everyone’s safety, the club has been in contact with the Paris prefecture, Partizan and its supporter groups “for more than a month”, indicates Seignez. “Relations are very, very good, we started discussions as early as possible so that everything goes well,” he continues.
While a classic Euroleague match only requires the presence of “only” 94 security agents inside the Adidas Arena, their number will increase to 135 for this meeting deemed “at risk” by the authorities “because of the number of opposing supporters” explains Seignez. Outside, the authorities will deploy an exceptional force of 70 police officers… compared to the usual zero.
