France to halt games when anthem is booed

AnthemZ · 10-16-2008, 12:44 AM

France to halt games when anthem is booed
Oct 15 08:39 AM US/Eastern

Any football match in France before which the country's national anthem is booed will now be "immediately stopped", French Sports Minister Roselyne Bachelot said Wednesday after meeting with President Nicolas Sarkozy.

The dramatic move followed the booing of "La Marseillaise" during France's 3-1 friendly win over Tunisia at the Stade de France in Paris on Tuesday.

"Any match when our national anthem is whistled will be stopped immediately," Bachelot said after talks with Sarkozy and French Football Federation president Jean-Pierre Escalettes.

"Government members will immediately leave the arena where our national anthem has been whistled.

"When whistling of our antional anthem happens, all friendly games with the country concerned will be suspended for a period yet to be determined by the federation president."

"The president has committed himself to seeing that measures are taken," said Escalettes, who said the authorities had to think of the security implications if such behaviour were allowed to pass.

He blamed "imbecilic" fans for forcing the crackdown which he said left both him and the players scandalised and hurt.

Sarkozy and fellow politicians reacted with shock and anger at the booing and whistling.

Bernard Laporte, the ministerial secretary of state for sport, told Radio Monte Carlo he would suggest that France no longer play friendlies against North African countries following similar problems in recent years against Algeria and Morocco - like Tunisia, once former colonies of France.

"Let's stop the hypocrisy - let's just stop doing these matches," said Laporte.

"We cannot tolerate our Marseillaise being jeered."

Many of the 60,000 crowd on Tuesday were Tunisian - friendlies against North African sides traditionally attract widespread support from sizeable immigrant communities in and around the French capital.

Some booed when the names of the French players were read out over the PA system before kickoff, reaching a crescendo for Hatem Ben Arfa, born in France to Tunisian parents and who opted to play for the country of his birth despite overtures from the Tunisian Federation.

French Prime Minister François Fillon said the booing was "insulting for France and for the French players" and that in the event of a repeat it would be necessary "to call off matches."

Jean-Marie Le Pen, leader of the French far-right National Front, said the jeering was proof of the failure of multiculturalism, insisting the "integration of foreign masses to our culture culture is a failure as it is a utopia".

Racism in football has regularly reared its head and earlier this week Spain's Atletico Madrid were handed a two-match Champions League stadium ban for alleged racist insults by its supporters against Marseille players.

But Le Pen charged that sporting authorities seeking to combat racism in stadiums were less interested when it came to "anti-French racism."

**Meursault** · 10-16-2008, 11:17 AM

pathetic. That's exactly what the people who jeer and whistle would want. Way to go. Why don't they try and come up with ideas how to put their immigration policy on a more rational basis and achieve better integration of the people already in France?

Vardar · 10-16-2008, 01:43 PM

The country of surrender surrenders again. Ironic? No.

**Meursault** · 10-16-2008, 01:54 PM

This is actually new. It's more like committing suicide for fear of dying.

KevinShinnick · 10-16-2008, 02:05 PM

Maybe it was just all the aging French playboys wolf-whistling at Carla Bruni?

**Meursault** · 10-16-2008, 02:29 PM

aging and very near sighted because the Sarkozys weren't even there...

The stadium though is one of the greatest I have ever seen. Pity it's not being put to a better use.

**Harpoon** · 10-16-2008, 07:08 PM

France and Germany sitting in a tree... K.I.S.S.I.N.G. First comes love... Then come marriage.. Then comes ....

**Meursault** · 10-16-2008, 07:12 PM

...Invasion?

**Harpoon** · 10-16-2008, 09:17 PM

I was thinking more about a baby..

**Meursault** · 10-18-2008, 02:17 PM

Ah, okay. Sorry, but the fact that we have a pisspoor birthrate on the one hand and a rather bad record of war participation on the other must count for something.

Vardar · 10-18-2008, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meursault

...Invasion?

They never change, do they?

TheSinner · 10-18-2008, 06:10 PM

boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

ever heard fireworks in france?....when they happen everyone get his keys out

10-16-2008, 12:44 AM	#1
AnthemZ Waiting For My Handout! Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,366 Thanks: 7 Thanked 34 Times in 20 Posts	France to halt games when anthem is booed France to halt games when anthem is booed Oct 15 08:39 AM US/Eastern Any football match in France before which the country's national anthem is booed will now be "immediately stopped", French Sports Minister Roselyne Bachelot said Wednesday after meeting with President Nicolas Sarkozy. The dramatic move followed the booing of "La Marseillaise" during France's 3-1 friendly win over Tunisia at the Stade de France in Paris on Tuesday. "Any match when our national anthem is whistled will be stopped immediately," Bachelot said after talks with Sarkozy and French Football Federation president Jean-Pierre Escalettes. "Government members will immediately leave the arena where our national anthem has been whistled. "When whistling of our antional anthem happens, all friendly games with the country concerned will be suspended for a period yet to be determined by the federation president." "The president has committed himself to seeing that measures are taken," said Escalettes, who said the authorities had to think of the security implications if such behaviour were allowed to pass. He blamed "imbecilic" fans for forcing the crackdown which he said left both him and the players scandalised and hurt. Sarkozy and fellow politicians reacted with shock and anger at the booing and whistling. Bernard Laporte, the ministerial secretary of state for sport, told Radio Monte Carlo he would suggest that France no longer play friendlies against North African countries following similar problems in recent years against Algeria and Morocco - like Tunisia, once former colonies of France. "Let's stop the hypocrisy - let's just stop doing these matches," said Laporte. "We cannot tolerate our Marseillaise being jeered." Many of the 60,000 crowd on Tuesday were Tunisian - friendlies against North African sides traditionally attract widespread support from sizeable immigrant communities in and around the French capital. Some booed when the names of the French players were read out over the PA system before kickoff, reaching a crescendo for Hatem Ben Arfa, born in France to Tunisian parents and who opted to play for the country of his birth despite overtures from the Tunisian Federation. French Prime Minister François Fillon said the booing was "insulting for France and for the French players" and that in the event of a repeat it would be necessary "to call off matches." Jean-Marie Le Pen, leader of the French far-right National Front, said the jeering was proof of the failure of multiculturalism, insisting the "integration of foreign masses to our culture culture is a failure as it is a utopia". Racism in football has regularly reared its head and earlier this week Spain's Atletico Madrid were handed a two-match Champions League stadium ban for alleged racist insults by its supporters against Marseille players. But Le Pen charged that sporting authorities seeking to combat racism in stadiums were less interested when it came to "anti-French racism." __________________ Sig by Teabelly!

10-16-2008, 11:17 AM	#2
Meursault Le Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Old Europe Posts: 39,009 Thanks: 141 Thanked 90 Times in 36 Posts	pathetic. That's exactly what the people who jeer and whistle would want. Way to go. Why don't they try and come up with ideas how to put their immigration policy on a more rational basis and achieve better integration of the people already in France? __________________ sick sig courtesy of teabelly!

10-16-2008, 01:43 PM	#3
Vardar Happy Fairy New Year Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: South Bethlehem Posts: 17,395 Thanks: 326 Thanked 62 Times in 15 Posts	The country of surrender surrenders again. Ironic? No. __________________ A Fairy A Day Keeps The Whores Away DIES IST DIE ÜBER FEE

10-16-2008, 01:54 PM	#4
Meursault Le Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Old Europe Posts: 39,009 Thanks: 141 Thanked 90 Times in 36 Posts	This is actually new. It's more like committing suicide for fear of dying. __________________ sick sig courtesy of teabelly!

10-16-2008, 02:05 PM	#5
KevinShinnick CLUB SHINNICK Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Guildford Posts: 75,608 Thanks: 161 Thanked 1,023 Times in 170 Posts	Maybe it was just all the aging French playboys wolf-whistling at Carla Bruni? __________________

10-16-2008, 02:29 PM	#6
Meursault Le Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Old Europe Posts: 39,009 Thanks: 141 Thanked 90 Times in 36 Posts	aging and very near sighted because the Sarkozys weren't even there... The stadium though is one of the greatest I have ever seen. Pity it's not being put to a better use. __________________ sick sig courtesy of teabelly!

10-16-2008, 07:08 PM	#7
Harpoon Sailing the seas of Cheese Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Down by the river Posts: 36,579 Thanks: 46 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	France and Germany sitting in a tree... K.I.S.S.I.N.G. First comes love... Then come marriage.. Then comes .... __________________ .

10-16-2008, 07:12 PM	#8
Meursault Le Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Old Europe Posts: 39,009 Thanks: 141 Thanked 90 Times in 36 Posts	...Invasion? __________________ sick sig courtesy of teabelly!

10-16-2008, 09:17 PM	#9
Harpoon Sailing the seas of Cheese Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Down by the river Posts: 36,579 Thanks: 46 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	I was thinking more about a baby.. __________________ .

10-18-2008, 02:17 PM	#10
Meursault Le Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Old Europe Posts: 39,009 Thanks: 141 Thanked 90 Times in 36 Posts	Ah, okay. Sorry, but the fact that we have a pisspoor birthrate on the one hand and a rather bad record of war participation on the other must count for something. __________________ sick sig courtesy of teabelly!

10-18-2008, 06:10 PM	#12
TheSinner Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Malta...a small island full of beer, sex, punks and sunshine... Posts: 2,129 Thanks: 17 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ever heard fireworks in france?....when they happen everyone get his keys out __________________ Part of team Mush -> Overseas Fuggable Fugger! Everybody's got to believe in something - I'll believe I'll have another BEER! sig fixed by Mugzy - thx mate

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