Ligue 1: Frank McCourt "supports the decision" of OM to leave the field in Nice

The American owner of Olympique de Marseille Frank McCourt on Tuesday supported the president of OM by approving his "

decision to leave the field

" on Sunday after supporters from Nice invaded the lawn of the Allianz Riviera, causing a general brawl.

"

I supported the decision of OM president Pablo Longoria to leave the field when it became clear that the safety of players and supporters could not be guaranteed,

" said the club boss in a statement. by denouncing "

a regrettable and deplorable demonstration of violence

".

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Mr. McCourt does not specify in this press release whether he validated this decision during the events themselves, Sunday evening in Nice during the flagship match of the 3rd day of Ligue 1 between the Aiglons of Nice and the Olympique de Marseille.

Likewise, he does not specify whether he also supports the Marseille team's decision not to resume the match.

The Nice-OM match was interrupted in the 75th minute of the game, when the Niçois were leading 1-0 and Marseille playmaker Dimitri Payet was about to take a corner.

OGC Nice - Olympique de Marseille, the overflows

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Target of throwing plastic water bottles on the part of the Nice supporters of the Ultras Populaire Sud platform, Payet had returned two of these projectiles in the spans of the stadium, after being hit in the back.

It was then that a few dozen Nice supporters had invaded the lawn, causing a general fight between supporters, players of the two teams and members of the management of the two clubs.

Several investigations opened by the Nice prosecutor's office

After more than an hour and a half of interruption, the meeting was definitively stopped by the referee, the Marseillais having refused to return to the field. "

We did not feel safe,

" Marseille captain Steve Mandanda explained on Monday in a video released by his club. The disciplinary committee of the LFP is due to look into these incidents on Wednesday, with representatives of the two clubs. The League will have to decide in particular the fate of the meeting, no winner having yet been decided. In this type of case, the file is generally placed under investigation for two to three weeks.

The Nice prosecutor's office announced Monday the opening of several investigations, in particular for "

throwing projectiles

" and "

aggravated willful violence

". A 28-year-old man, suspected of having beaten an OM player, was arrested in Mandelieu-la-Napoule and taken into police custody.