It is a decisive step towards the end of the organization of very high-level football matches in France every May 5. The National Assembly voted on Thursday so that no professional meeting was played that day in tribute to the victims of the disaster at the Furiani stadium in Haute-Corse, which killed 18 people on May 5, 1992.
Worn by Corsican MP Michel Castellani (Liberties and Territories), the bill was adopted at first reading almost unanimously and must now be examined by the Senate. She obtained support from all political benches with 85 votes for, one abstention and one vote against LREM MP Anne-Christine Lang, on the grounds that it was not up to MPs to "legislate on emotion".
Minute of silence and black armband in amateur football
On May 5, 1992, before the start of the semi-final of the Coupe de France between Bastia and Olympique de Marseille, the collapse of the upper part of a temporary stand at the Furiani stadium made more than 2,300 injured in addition to the deceased. For more than 25 years, the collective of victims and their families have been demanding a ban on matches on May 5, faced with reluctance from the League and the Federation, hampered in the organization of their competitions.
The bill proposes to modify the sport code so that “no meeting or sporting event” of Ligue 1, Ligue 2, Coupe de France and the Trophée des Champions will be played on May 5. This therefore does not concern European competitions. This year, a Champions League semi-final return is scheduled for May 5. Paris and Lyon are still in the running in this competition. For amateur football, MEPs also voted in favor of organizing a minute of silence and wearing a black armband on May 5.
Saturdays May 5 are already sanctuarized
The Furiani disaster is "one of the darkest pages in French sporting history" and a "national tragedy," said Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu, who supported the bill, as did the deputies of the majority. In July 2015, the Secretary of State for Sports, Thierry Braillard, set up the match freeze for only Saturdays May 5 and organized in other cases tributes to the victims in the form of minutes of silence, black armbands or applause .
"If to remember we can move the matches when it is a Saturday, I do not see why it would not be possible on other days of the week," said Roxana Maracineanu.