The National Assembly voted on Thursday (February 13th) to prevent a professional football match from being played on May 5 in France, in tribute to the victims of the Furiani stadium disaster, which killed 18 people on May 5, 1992.
Worn by Corsican MP Michel Castellani (Liberties and Territories), the bill was adopted at first reading almost unanimously and must now be examined by the Senate. It obtained support from all political benches with 85 votes in favor, one abstention and one vote against.
Reluctance of the League and the Federation
On May 5, 1992, before the start of the semi-final of the Coupe de France between Bastia and Olympique de Marseille, the collapse of the upper part of a temporary stand at the Furiani stadium had caused the death of 18 people and more than 2,300 injured.
For more than twenty-five years, the Collective of victims and their families have been demanding a ban on matches on May 5, in the face of reluctance from the League and the Federation, hampered in the organization of their competitions.
The bill plans to amend the sports code to "No meeting or sporting event" 1, Ligue 2, Coupe de France and the Champions Trophy will not be played on May 5. For amateur football, MEPs also voted in favor of organizing a minute of silence and wearing a black armband on May 5.
"One of the darkest pages in sports history"
The Furiani disaster is "One of the darkest pages in sports history" French and a "National tragedy", stressed the Minister of Sports, Roxana Maracineanu, who supported the bill, like the deputies of the majority.
In July 2015, the Secretary of State for Sports at the time, Thierry Braillard, had put in place the match freeze for Saturdays only on May 5, and in other cases organized tributes to the victims in the form of minutes of silence , black armbands or applause.
"If to remember we can move the games around on a Saturday, I don't see why it wouldn't be possible on other days of the week", estimated Mme Maracineanu in the Hemicycle.
