This is a new hobby horse that the government does not intend to abandon. Two weeks after the controversies surrounding OM – PSG, Secretary of State Othman Nasrou called out the Professional Football League (LFP) following the homophobic chants heard during the Saint-Étienne-Strasbourg match in Ligue 1. He criticized the fact that the match was not interrupted, recalling that the authorities had expressed their desire to fight against homophobia in the stadiums. “The LFP must explain to us why the Saint-Étienne-Strasbourg match was not interrupted,” published the government member on X. The “Rouge Direct” collective also denounced these chants on social networks, calling for a government intervention and announcing complaints against the LFP and the DAZN broadcasting platform.
The government is not letting go of this issue
Beforehand, the Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau and the Minister of Sports Gil Avérous had discussed with French football leaders the measures to be taken in the face of discriminatory behavior in stadiums, in particular via the FIFA protocol. This protocol includes the suspension of matches or even the defeat of the offending team. However, Retailleau expressed reservations about match interruptions, deeming them “very complicated” and unsuitable, unlike Avérous who advocates strict application of these measures.
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To summarize
Two weeks after the OM – PSG pre-match which caused controversy, the question of homophobic chants returns to the table before OL – ASSE. Indeed, songs were sung on the sidelines of ASSE's victory against Strasbourg.
