A new act of violence affected amateur football this Sunday in Essonne.
After attacks committed by a parent against a coach (Linas-Montlhéry) or between players with knives (Draveil), it was a spectator who reported himself, this time in Épinay-sous-Sénart.
Sunday afternoon, the U18s (under 18s) of FC d'Épinay Athletico welcomed their counterparts from Dourdan.
On the sporting side, the Dourdanais had to face, they believe, a series of unfavorable decisions: “Two indisputable penalties in our favor not whistled, an imaginary penalty whistled in their favor and so on… but that is not the most important,” relates the team’s coach on his social networks.
The player loses consciousness
Indeed, everything went wrong ten minutes before the final whistle.
Dourdan had just returned to 2-2.
The climate, tense from the start, would have degenerated after “middle fingers” from the visiting players addressed to the public, according to the president of Athletico… A spectator would then have sent, from behind, a violent elbow in the neck of number 6. “The player fell to the ground and temporarily lost consciousness,” explains a police source.
We will not let this go unpunished!
I will remember this 03/24/2024, a trip that I am making with great...
Published by Kapo Gss on Sunday March 24, 2024
In the process, the young player, aged 16, was taken care of by the firefighters and evacuated to the Villeneuve-Saint-Georges hospital (Val-de-Marne).
His coach speaks of a “head trauma and a fracture to the jaw”, without us being able to obtain confirmation of these injuries.
“Amateur football is sick”
Regardless, the attacker had time to flee before the police arrived.
An investigation is underway at the Val d'Yerres - Val de Seine police station.
Just two months ago, local police officers had already dealt with the case of stabbings between minor players after a match in Draveil.
Read alsoFootball: outbreak of violence on a mini-bus after a U14 match between Massy and Linas-Montlhéry
For the Dourdan coach, it is clear, the Épinay club “must be removed” from competitions… “It’s unbearable, unacceptable”, squeaks the mayor (PS) of Épinay-sous-Sénart, Damien Allouch , who spoke with the victim's father this Monday morning.
“His state of health is reassuring, fortunately.
But this violence cannot continue.
Amateur football is sick, every weekend we hear stories.
» The mayor was to receive the leaders of Athletico on Monday evening to “better secure” the surroundings of the grounds…
“The match was classified as risky, so we did not have an official referee sent by the federation.
A volunteer had to manage the tensions,” laments the president of the local club.
With an obstacle: “We can't put a police officer on every amateur match, and I don't have a miracle solution.
But the clubs, the district, the federation must begin a general questioning.
We can no longer see kids going out to play with fear in their stomachs.
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