PSG ban away fan travel amid growing violence

Paris Saint-Germain announced on Tuesday that they will no longer sell tickets for away games to the club’s fans and will not appeal if they are forced to play home matches behind closed doors.

“We will no longer sell tickets to our supporters for away matches until further notice,” said PSG president Robin Leproux.

“We will not appeal to the league in the case that we are forced to play behind closed doors. We have to take responsibility for the image we are presenting today.”

PSG’s 3-0 league defeat at home to fierce rivals Marseille on Sunday was marred by violent scenes both inside and outside their Parc des Princes ground.

Marseille fans boycotted the game in protest at stringent security measures but the PSG supporters fought amongst themselves after the match, leaving one man in an artificial coma following an attack by a rival fan group.

Regularly punished over the behaviour of their fans, who launched flares onto the pitch in the second half of the Marseille defeat, PSG are already facing the prospect of playing two games behind closed doors due to events earlier in the season.

“It’s a very grave decision in the history of the club but I am obliged to take this kind of decision to guarantee everyone’s safety,” added Leproux, who was due to meet with officials from the Ministry of the Interior on Tuesday evening to ask for help from government authorities.

“I cannot live with the image of a man covered in his own blood at the foot of the Parc des Princes.

“We’ve had one death, Julien Quemener, a few years ago (in November 2006) and we have one man who has been between life and death for two days. Do we have to wait to have 10 deaths before we really address the issue?”

“I completely approve the measures that have been announced,” said French Professional League (LFP) president Frederic Thiriez.

“The situation provoked by these irresponsible groups has become too serious. The club, the league and the authorities must do everything to bring a definitive halt to this disastrous spiral.”

Former Sports Minister Marie-George Buffet called on the LFP to condemn the violence.

“We can’t keep increasing the number of police officers every time there is a PSG match,” she told RMC radio.

“The league and the club president must have the courage to say loud and clear that they condemn these violent supporters, who still think that they are above the law, that they are supported by the club.”