AC Ajaccio has strongly condemned the deplorable incident which took place at their Ligue 1 match against Marseille on Saturday. Eight-year-old Kenzo, a Marseille fan, was invited to the game to meet the players, but instead he and his family were shamefully abused and jostled in their box. Kenzo’s mother reported that his father was attacked, Kenzo’s head hit a railing, his shirt was ripped off and burnt, and they spat in the family’s food. In addition, a France 3 TV journalist was attacked by Marseille supporters at a filling station near the stadium and needed hospital treatment.
The regional rivals of Marseille played out the 1-0 win in a tense atmosphere, and Ajaccio have released a press statement condemning the incident. They said that these individuals do not represent the values of their club or island, and that even the most extreme stupidity cannot excuse this behaviour. The club has vowed to shed light on these shameful actions and file a complaint against those responsible as soon as they are identified.
Ajaccio’s chief prosecutor, Nicolas Septe, is also trying to identify those responsible for the attack on the journalist, while the mayor of Ajaccio, Stephane Sbraggia, said both incidents “point to a worrying loss of values”. There was another incident of violence in French football on Saturday as promotion hopefuls Bordeaux’s final Ligue 2 game of the season was abandoned after a Rodez player was attacked by a fan. Four men were arrested in Bordeaux and the French league (LFP) will meet on Monday to discuss the incident.