“I am one of the people who thinks that the only possible sanction to curb this state of affairs (…) is the point penalty”. These words are those of Jean-Michel Aulas and date back to August 25, after the incidents that occurred during Nice-Marseille. During this match, people present in the Nice yard had thrown projectiles at Dimitri Payet. Then, several dozen of them then invaded the field in an attempt to attack Marseille players directly. First suspended, the meeting was then definitively stopped, then replayed on October 27, in Troyes.
Three months later, the president of Olympique Lyonnais decided to adopt another speech following the incidents at Groupama Stadium during Lyon-Marseille. This Monday, the day after the match was stopped because of a bottle thrown at Dimitri Payet, he declared that he was of a “obvious bad faith” to request a point withdrawal against his team. The OL boss believes that the events on Sunday were not comparable with other precedents that have occurred this season in L1.
After the Nice-OM incidents, you said that withdrawing points from clubs was the only solution. Should we remove it in Lyon?
Jean-Michel Aulas : It is necessary to be of obvious bad faith to compare the events of Nice-Marseille, Montpellier-Marseille or Lens-Lille. We are on land invasions, fights, interventions of technical executives of the teams who come to police. I remain in favor of severe penalties, including the withdrawal of points for invading the field or fights, because it is the only decision that can stop groups of supporters. But, here, we are in a different case because the group ‘Bad Gones’ dissociates itself from the individual involved. I’m not sure we deserve a point withdrawal on this episode but, if it helps advance all of the safety case law, then we’ll have to look at what has happened since the start of the season and this will not (only) be a point that will have to be taken away (from others).
Do you fear that this incident is a point of no return with instances tempted to want to strike hard for example?
Of course we fear sanctions and my role is to tell the truth that has not been told since Sunday. I will also personally file a complaint against those who have put forward inaccurate things. We will defend greater rigor on the part of the authorities but we do not want to pay for others. If there is to be a strong sanction against OL, it will require retroactive and coherent sanctions like the sanctions that will be imposed on us.
Do you hope to replay this meeting?
I do not imagine that we do not replay this meeting. Against OM, Nice led (1-0) and the incidents did not allow the match to resume and, already, Marseille had not represented on the field. The match was to be replayed on neutral ground (1-1). There cannot be a different decision.
Vincent Labrune said it was time to turn the table around on issues related to fan groups?
I am completely in solidarity with Vincent on this subject. I will be in the interior minister’s office on Tuesday. If we are to overturn the table, it must be done by everyone out of fairness and jurisprudence. I agree that this should not be repeated. But between the ideas that can ripen on a night of disaster and everyday reality, there is a big step forward and I don’t think it is in the interest of the LFP and football to stop all matches. Let’s start by applying the penalties provided for. If there had been a history in Lyon on this type of risk, we would have known and we would have been penalized. This is not the case, this is the first time.