Football: the temporary ban on fan travel is “an acknowledgment of failure”, says a sports journalist

Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin banned the travel of Olympique Lyonnais (OL) supporters to attend their team’s match against Olympique de Marseille (OM) at the Vélodrome stadium, Wednesday December 6. A decision which comes more than a month after violent incidents which caused the postponement of the meeting. Amelie Oudéa-Castéra, Minister of Sports, had previously said he wanted a temporary suspension of travel by football supporters. For Thibaud The dishsports journalist and editor-in-chief of the magazine “l’After”, guest of 12/13 info, this is a “logical decision given the situation”.

“The problem is ultra thinking”

Thibaud The dish nevertheless sees “an acknowledgment of failure and a huge disavowal of the doctrine of maintaining order, and of the way in which we have dealt with the ultra phenomenon for several decades in France”. “The problem is ultra thinking, it’s not the supporter, the person as such”, abounds the sports journalist. “The culture of violence is part of the culture of the stands, and it is unacceptable. We have accepted it for 30 years, it seems to me that it is finally time to put an end to it”he adds.