Toulouse won a fifth consecutive victory on Sunday, its third away this season, by winning on the field of a heroic Clermont team, reduced to fourteen from the start, at the end of the 16th day of Top 14. ASM conceded its third defeat at home after the matches already lost against Toulon and Bordeaux-Bègles and lost for the second time in a row after losing on the last day in Bayonne.
Following this setback, Clermont players Alivereti Raka and Folau Fainga'a were the targets of insults and threats on social networks.
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The regional daily
La Montagne
reveals that Raka, a player of Fijian origin who became a French international (5 caps), thought about
“stopping everything”
and
“returning to Fiji”
in the face of this violence.
“He has come to his senses a little since in the face of the testimonies of support.
But the damage is done, it's too late now.
Over time, things will dissipate.
But talking about his parents had a profound impact on him,”
his wife confided to our colleagues.
Auvergne supporters quickly gave their support to the players, notably publishing this message on X:
“People are stupid!
We can say that a player misses his match (while remaining correct), but harassment and insults are UNACCEPTABLE!!!
We can also add Ojovan, YES his action is dangerous and stupid but he does not deserve the hatred of some people.”
“We will never accept that our stadium is a place of hatred, provocation or disrespect”
This Tuesday, the ASM also reacted by publishing a press release.
“We are unhappy to have to once again share this message which has not aged a bit and which is still visibly misunderstood by a minority of people claiming to be “supporters”.
We will never accept that our stadium is a place of hatred, provocation or disrespect,
insists the Auvergne club.
We will never understand or accept those who attack the men under our belt.
Our Yellow Army, our stadium and our club deserve much better than all this.
Hate has no place in Michelin!”
This is not the first time that such excesses from some Clermont supporters have occurred.
Already, in January 2023, after a heavy defeat against Stade Toulousain (13-32), the ASM had condemned the insults of some of its supporters, rebelling against
“the outpouring of hatred and the insults of a very small minority of people.
Adding that
“insults and threats fell from the stands (exceeding the usual framework of social networks where they have become customary if not ordinary) far exceeding what we can accept.”