Death of a Nantes supporter during an altercation before the football match against Nice

A new serious incident has marred French football. A Nantes supporter was fatally injured during an altercation ahead of the Ligue 1 football match between the clubs FC Nantes and OGC Nice, Saturday December 2 evening, in Nantes.

“Shortly before 8 p.m., several VTC vehicles transporting Nice supporters were attacked by supporters of FC Nantes” as they went to the Beaujoire stadium, explained the public prosecutor of Nantes, Renaud Gaudeul. “During these events, in circumstances which remain to be determined, a 31-year-old man, a supporter of FC Nantes, collapsed” And “died on the spot”he added.

Initial information on this tragedy reported only one supporter ” seriously injured “vsas the Nantes club had deplored on his X account.

“The very first forensic investigations show that the victim has a wound in the back, which could correspond to a bladed weapon”, elements which will be refined during an autopsy, specifies the Nantes prosecutor. The prosecution opened an investigation for “intentional homicide”, which was entrusted jointly to the territorial direction of the judicial police and the Loire-Atlantique departmental security. “Numerous witness hearings are underway and will continue into the night”underlined Renaud Gaudeul.

Stab

According to a source close to the case, the supporter, a member of the Brigade Loire group, received a stab, probably from one of the VTC drivers attacked. According to West Francethe attacker went to a police station in the evening.

“All light must be shed on this tragedyreacted in a press release the first deputy to the city of Nantes, Bassem Asseh. Violence has no place either inside or outside of sports venues”.

The new coach of FC Nantes, Jocelyn Gourvennec, explained that he had not been warned of the tragedy before the start of the match, won (1-0) by his team. “I only learned after the match that the Loire Brigade had been hit this evening by our supporter who was stabbed”declared the technician, whose victory against OGC Nice was overshadowed by the aggression. “It was a somewhat special context, a somewhat special atmosphere”he said again after the meeting.

“I can’t imagine how you can go to see a football match, sometimes with your family, and be between life and death. It’s inconceivable”continued Jocelyn Gourvennec before the announcement of the death. “I don’t know what happened, we don’t have any details, but the players talked about it a lot in the locker room, they were very touched and, obviously we are going to pray for him”he concluded.

Series of tensions and incidents in Ligue 1

The attack on the Nantes supporter follows a series of tensions and incidents that occurred recently on the sidelines of Ligue 1 matches. Sunday, November 27, two Brest supporters were slightly injured by shards of glass when their bus was targeted by projectiles after their club’s victory (3-1) in Montpellier.

Before the match, the police had to use tear gas and batons to ” restore order ” when a “a hundred Montpellier supporters, partly hooded and armed with iron bars and batons, tried to fight when the Brest supporters arrived”according to the Hérault prefecture.

On October 29, the Olympique Lyonnais bus was stoned before the match against Olympique de Marseille at the Stade-Vélodrome, injuring the eye of the Lyon coach at the time, Fabio. Grosso, and his deputy Raffaele Longo. At least one bus of Lyon supporters was also attacked, the projectiles causing minor injuries, and the match could not take place. It was rescheduled for Marseille on December 6.