Faced with the persistence of homophobic chants and violence in stadiums, the French authorities have decided to strengthen security measures for the football clubs most affected, namely PSG, OL and OM.
During a meeting at the Ministry of the Interior in the presence of French football authorities, Sports Minister Gil Avérous reiterated the need to apply the FIFA protocol as soon as a homophobic chant is sung in a stadium. This protocol provides for a gradation of sanctions ranging from suspension of the match to its complete interruption, or even defeat on the green carpet for the receiving team.
Mandatory registered tickets for Lyon, Paris and Marseille
While this protocol has already been put forward by the two previous ministers of sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra and Roxana Maracineanu, Gil Avérous insisted on its strict application. The Professional Football League (LFP) has reaffirmed its commitment to “zero tolerance” in terms of discrimination in stadiums, specifying that the legal framework already exists to impose exemplary sanctions, such as administrative or judicial stadium bans. The League welcomed the meeting, described as “very constructive”, and declared itself “in favor of anything which will allow the troublemakers to be identified and arrested to then allow sanctions to be individualized”.
Questioned by BFM TV, Gil Avérous announced the establishment of mandatory nominative ticketing for OL, OM and PSG matches from January 1, then for all L1 and L2 matches in during the year 2025.
New hiccup in the government
But this announcement sparked criticism, notably from the Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, who was skeptical about the definitive cessation of the matches. “If there are homophobic chants, the sports movement must take responsibility, there must be a temporary interruption. Stopping matches is very complicated, it is not the right solution,” he said, while advocating a temporary interruption with possible exfiltration of troublemakers.
