PSG players Ousmane Dembélé, Randal Kolo Muani, Achraf Hakimi and Layvin Kurzawa, summoned by the disciplinary committee after offensive chants during PSG-OM, apologized on Sunday, saying they “sincerely regret” their words.
“Duty to set an example”
Last Sunday, the four players took part in celebrations after the victory (4-0) at the Parc des Princes, marked in particular by insulting chants against the Marseillais. “We sincerely regret the words we should not have said,” they said on social media. “We are well aware of the impact of our gestures and our words on the public, particularly the youngest who dream in front of a football match,” they continued, and “in the future, we we will do everything we can to further respect our duty to set an example.”
Thank you to all our supporters for being present again yesterday in Clermont. Disappointed with the result but proud to still be able to count on you.
A week ago we all celebrated our great victory in the Classic at the Parc des Princes.
After the match, we… pic.twitter.com/aBsDFXphXU— Ousmane Dembélé (@dembouz) October 1, 2023
Furthermore, homophobic chants were sung during this match by Parisian supporters at the Parc des Princes for several minutes. The club and its four players will be heard at the next meeting of the LFP disciplinary committee, Thursday October 5, the day after the Champions League trip to Newcastle.
“We should have stopped this match”
On Monday, the interministerial delegate for the fight against racism, anti-Semitism and anti-LGBT hatred, Olivier Klein, relayed a video of around thirty seconds in which we can hear these supporters singing homophobic chants against players from the Marseille team, saying they were “very shocked” and demanding “sanctions”.
Just like the Minister of Sports Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, adding: “We should have stopped this match. I think that the protocol for stopping matches in the event of homophobic chants, in the event of incitement to hatred, because it This is what it’s about, it’s necessary.”
PSG had indicated that the club “condemns all forms of discrimination, in particular homophobia, and would like to point out that they have their place neither in stadiums nor in society”. “It’s a subject that generates a bit of controversy, the club, the sports management, the staff, the players, we are all against any type of discrimination,” said PSG’s Spanish coach Luis Enrique on Friday. at a press conference.