What was to be a magical moment has become a real disillusionment for a young Parisian supporter.
Maël, 13, had made the trip to Birmingham to attend the quarter-final return from the Europa League between Aston Villa and Paris Saint-Germain. This trip, organized by his father as a birthday present, promised to be unforgettable … and it was, but for sad reasons. Accompanied by his father and two friends of his, the young boy had settled in the general stands of Villa Park, failing to have been able to obtain tickets for the sector reserved for visitors. As the protagonists told the newspaper Le Parisien, none of the four French people ostensibly wore the colors of PSG, with the exception of a simple commemorative scarf of the match, bought on the spot before entering the stadium.
When PSG scored its first goal, Maël, in the excitement of the moment, got up to celebrate. A very natural gesture for a passionate child, but who quickly caught attention. His father, aware of the sensitivity of the English stands, immediately made him sit down to avoid any incident. During the second Parisian goal, the four French people remained perfectly calm. However, at halftime, nine security agents came to arrest them. They said that the presence of French supporters among English fans was prohibited, and that they had to leave the enclosure. No altercation, no provocation: simply a child who had raised his arms of joy. Despite Maël’s protests and emotion, who began to cry against the Stadiers, their fate was sealed. “It’s horrible and unfair,” denounced one of the father’s friends on Twitter, publishing a photo of the slaughtered boy, sitting outside the stadium. His deeply shocked father said he never imagined that one can inflict such humiliation to a child.
Between security rigidity and lack of humanity: questions that disturb
This incident raises many questions about security management in stadiums, but also on the ability of sports bodies to be discern for. It is well known that certain European meetings can be tense, and the security measures aim above all to avoid overflows between rival supporters. However, the exclusion of a 13 -year -old child for an isolated celebration, without provocation or displaced attitude, leaves a bitter taste. The rigidity of the application of the rules seems to have taken precedence here on common sense and humanity. Several witnesses stressed that the group’s behavior was impeccable, and that they had never lacked respect for local fans. It is difficult to imagine that such treatment would have been reserved for a young English supporter in a French stadium in similar circumstances.
What was to be a festive initiation to European football turned into a bitter lesson for Maël. Instead of leaving with stars in his eyes, he left with tears and a deep misunderstanding. This kind of decisions, taken without dialogue or consideration for the context, helps to keep young people away from sport, to make them doubt the supposed benevolence of the world of football. Maël’s case may not be isolated, but it crystallizes an increasing tension between the security imperatives and the pleasure of the spectators. Should we really sacrifice the spirit of the game on the altar of absolute control? At a time when football wants to be universal, popular and unifying, this type of expulsion raises a substantive debate: that of the place of true, spontaneous emotions, faced with a system sometimes which has sometimes become too rigid to welcome the passion which is however the beating heart.
In response, Paris Saint-Germain invited Maël and his family to attend the match against Nice, scheduled for April 25. For his part, Lucas Hernandez, via his wife Victoria, also mobilized to find the boy and surprise him. FC Nantes also participated in this surge of solidarity by inviting Maël and his father to their match against PSG on April 22.
Gifts to console him!
Despite the precautions taken not to wear the colors of PSG in the English stands, Maël was forced to leave the stadium by nine security agents. A gesture deemed disproportionate, especially towards a child.
Thanks to the support of PSG, Lucas Hernandez and FC Nantes, Maël will be able to have great football experiences to compensate for this mishap.
