*Manticore* 1,893 Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/10/15/...nisia-Jeers.php France to call off games when anthem is jeered PARIS: Football matches in France will be immediately called off if fans jeer during the French national anthem, the French minister of sports said Wednesday. Roselyne Bachelot spoke after an urgent meeting called by President Nicolas Sarkozy following France's friendly against Tunisia on Tuesday in which some fans let out hostile whistles during "La Marseillaise." The incident prompted a wave of criticism among French authorities. "Any match at which our national anthem is whistled at will be immediately stopped," Bachelot said after the meeting that included the head of the French Football Federation and other sports officials. France, a former colonial ruler of Tunisia, has many residents of North African descent. Tunisia fans appeared to largely outnumber French fans at Stade de France just north of Paris. French TV broadcast images Wednesday of fans waving Tunisian flags as whistles largely drowned out the national anthem — sung by Laam, a young woman singer of Tunisian background. Many Tunisia fans also chanted "Tunisia, Tunisia" and booed when French players' names were read out before the match. France went on to win 3-1. In a statement, Sarkozy's office referred to the "scandalous incidents" at the stadium. While Prime Minister Francois Fillon said he was disappointed that the FFF didn't halt the match and said those who whistle at national anthems must be barred from games. "It's insulting for France, for the players on the French team," he said. "Matches should be stopped whenever national anthems, whichever ones they are, get whistled at. "It's a lack of consideration and respect for an entire nation." Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie ordered regional state officials to report instances of "outrage" against the national anthem, a misdemeanor in France. Investigators can use footage from video cameras placed in stadiums in France earlier this year for "high-risk" matches, her office said in a statement. France captain Thierry Henry said "it's not easy playing at home and getting jeered," while defender Gael Clichy was nonplussed after making only his second international appearance on Tuesday. "It's a bit weird because we're supposed to be playing at home," Clichy said. However, France winger Hatem Ben Arfa, who is of Tunisian descent, refused to condemn the Tunisia fans — even though some of the most hostile jeers were aimed at him. "I'm not really angry with them," Ben Arfa said. "It's a bit of a shame but it's not a major problem. They need to exist, you have to understand them." FFF president Jean-Pierre Escalettes said the players were furious, having already been jeered by French fans during a match against Serbia at Stade de France last month and in previous friendlies. "We've had enough, it's intolerable," Escalettes said at a federation meeting Wednesday. "If football leads to such behavior it is not fulfilling its role, which is to unite people." Brice Hortefeux, the minister of immigration and national identity, agreed the match should have been suspended, calling the whistles "a stupid act, and committed by imbeciles." In 2001, the first friendly between France and Algeria was stopped midway through the second half after hundreds of fans invaded the field as France was leading 4-1. ___ AP Sports Writers Jerome Pugmire and Samuel Petrequin in Paris contributed to this report. According to Radio 4 report the vast majority of the Tunisia fans live in France. Sound familiar? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andypendek Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 Hyper sensitive puffs. I'd boo it just to piss that guy off. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasGers 96 Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 I don't know...any time a colonizer plays a former colony...there's bound to be problems Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andypendek Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 I'd love to see what would happen should the USA play Mexico in Fort Worth, and the dusky chaps started booing the Star Spangled Banner. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasGers 96 Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 I'd love to see what would happen should the USA play Mexico in Fort Worth, and the dusky chaps started booing the Star Spangled Banner. The last time they played was earlier this year in Houston...don't remember any problems whatsoever, and that was when probably 60-65% of the crowd were Mexicans. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cstamomusa 3,809 Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 I'd love to see what would happen should the USA play Mexico in Fort Worth, and the dusky chaps started booing the Star Spangled Banner. The last time they played was earlier this year in Houston...don't remember any problems whatsoever, and that was when probably 60-65% of the crowd were Mexicans. Recently there was some complaints when a Spanish version of the the Star Spangled Banner was released. This was not a football specific thing but just a general outcry of not singing the anthem the way it was written. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest johngers Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 FFS, if other countries adopted that approach we would have a good few games cancelled! Typical frogs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdzKyle 7,836 Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 Bloody French!! Nation of arrogant buggers(the majority anyway) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanMac 185 Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 I love that attitude, can you imagine him in the Rangers PR team, would be brilliant. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts