Lyon ban fans from away games after Coupe de France tie at Paris FC abandoned due to crowd trouble

Lyon have announced that their fans will temporarily be prevented from attending away games after crowd trouble saw their Coupe de France tie at Paris FC abandoned.

The last 64 clash at the Charlety stadium in the French capital was suspended in the second half, with the scoreline 1-1 after goals from Paris FC’s Gaetan Laura and Lyon’s Moussa Dembele.

Supporters appeared to be fighting in the stands and several flares were thrown before a number of fans made their way onto the pitch, stopping the game from continuing. 

The match will not continue and is permanently suspended. #PFCOL

— Olympique Lyonnais (@OL_English) December 17, 2021

It was the second time a game involving Lyon has had to be ended prematurely of late, with their Ligue 1 game at home to Marseille on November 21 also called off after a spectator threw a bottle that struck Dimitri Payet, leading to Lyon being docked a point as punishment.

Lyon released a statement on Saturday explaining their intention to identify the individuals responsible and serve them with lifetime stadium bans, and explained that supporters will not be allowed at away matches while the investigation is taking place.

“From Friday evening, Olympique Lyonnais made itself available to investigators and authorities so that light is shed on all the acts committed during this evening and that responsibilities are established, whether [an] agricultural bomb inside the parking lot at the start of half-time, smoke bombs, violence and the invasion of the ground,” the club statement read.
 
“Olympique Lyonnais will assume all of its responsibilities and is now showing an extreme determination to see the people involved, whatever their club membership, be sanctioned.
 
“Thus, Olympique Lyonnais has decided to file a complaint after this outbreak of violence and will take the most severe measures against the people involved after the identifications, including against the Lyon supporters who would be concerned.
 
“Olympique Lyonnais security teams have already started to analyse all the images and will use all the tools at their disposal to punish each person who is identified. Olympique Lyonnais will apply with force and determination the maximum penalties, including the stadium ban for life.
 
“The individuals involved have no place in a stadium, violence can no longer be tolerated in the stadiums. These must be the subject of technological adjustments and be better organized to identify the troublemakers. Violence must be firmly condemned by all football players, including groups of supporters.
 
“More than ever, we must eradicate these phenomena of hooliganism and banish all those who are enemies, by their acts, of football, but also of the clubs they claim to be.
 
“In this context, until further notice, and until light is shed on the identification of the perpetrators, Olympique Lyonnais decides to ban groups of supporters for away matches.”

France Football Federation (FFF) president Noel Le Graet explained that the disciplinary committee would meet to discuss potential courses of action to deal with the problem in French football.

“We are waiting to have all the elements before communicating,” Le Graet said to RMC Sport. “Obviously, I deplore these incidents which are disastrous.

“I do not want to get into the controversy. Monday, all the teams of the Federation will be at work. The disciplinary committee should meet that same day, after discussions with our legal department.”