PARIS, Dec 16: Professional football matches in France will be immediately abandoned if a player or referee is injured by a projectile thrown from the stands, government officials said Thursday.
The move announced by the Sports, Interior and Justice ministries followed a series of violent incidents in stadiums this season in the French league. It agreed that the sale and carrying of plastic bottles will be banned in stadiums by next July.
French authorities decided to take urgent action after a match between Lyon and Marseille was abandoned in November when a spectator threw a water-filled bottle at Marseille’s Dimitri Payet and hit him on the head.
Government officials also said that an assessment of video protection systems in stadiums will be carried out “with the aim of progressively raising these systems to the highest quality standards.” In addition, all professional clubs will be required to set up protective devices such as safety nets to prevent field invasions and projectiles from next season. (AP)
