stewards accused of illegally entering OM supporters into the Vélodrome stadium in Marseille

In exchange for a ticket slipped under the coat, stewards let in supporters without a subscription, reveals France Bleu Provence. A combination which allows “to double the capacity of the turn”.

Stewards are accused of illegally entering numerous supporters into the corners of the Vélodrome stadium in Marseille, France Bleu Provence revealed on Tuesday April 16. Supporters of Olympique de Marseille detail on the microphone of France Bleu Provence the scheme put in place which allows, during big posters, to bring thousands of non-subscribers into the corners, completely illegally. They evoke the complicity of stewards who turn a blind eye in exchange for a ticket slipped under the coat.

A Marseille supporter thus testifies, on condition of anonymity, to having benefited from this system himself. This supporter explains that “those who do not have a subscription card” must give “half [du prix] space” to the steward, who passes them “from the side, where there is the turnstile”. “At the top of the stairs, we pass the control, the searches, then they open the doors for us and we go around the bends,” he specifies. He assures that a steward “can take 60, 70 euros in cash per person” and therefore makes arrangements with “the dealer”the person who sells seats or subscriptions in front of the stadium.

On the stairs or standing on the seats, someone in front

This combination allows “to double the capacity of the turn”. The supporter, who prefers to remain anonymous, believes that “on big matches, there can be 1 000.2 000 [supporters supplémentaires] or even more, per turn. When the club announces 66 000, in truth we exceed 75 000-80 000″, he says. So that everyone can see the match, additional supporters can, for example, sit on the stairs.” “Otherwise, we stand on the seats and someone comes and stands at our feet”he specifies.

He ensures that this system is known and widespread. “We know the resellers who do it, but almost all of them in front of the stadium do it. They know each other”, he says. For this Marseillais, the club cannot ignore this traffic: “The club clearly sees that in the corners, it is fuller than the capacity of the stadium”, he says. The supporter is convinced that OM is therefore “aware” and “It suits them too.” “It gives visibility, the stadium is always full. For the club, it’s always better”he adds.

For its part, OM did not wish to react officially to the requests from France Bleu Provence. The club recognizes the existence, “For years”, of a traffic in tickets sold on the sly in front of the stadium. But he maintains that this “phenomenon does not exist on such a scale”. An internal source also explains to France Bleu Provence that this does not concern “not private security but public security”. Contacted by France Bleu Provence, neither the Bouches-du-Rhône police headquarters nor the Marseille town hall wished to make comments.