The fight against racism in football is getting more intense as a bottle hit Dimitri Payet in their Ligue 1 game against Nice. The former West Ham United player picked the bottle and threw it back into the crowd before fans stormed the pitch causing the match to be abandoned.
Marseille’s Payet was struck in the back by a bottle thrown from the home supporters as he went to take a corner. He launched it back, leading to fans pouring onto the pitch as stewards and players struggled to restrain them. The game was delayed for a long time.
Nice’s players came out to finish the game, but Dimitri Payet and Marseille’s players refused to come out to finish the game. The game was abandoned as a result. Nice were leading 1-0 through Kasper Dolberg’s first-half goal. Due to the racial abuse of the players, some Marseille players were injured.
Marseille president Pablo Longoria speaking on the racial abuse, said: “Our players were attacked.” “We decided for the safety of our players, who were attacked during the pitch invasion, not to resume the match because the safety of our players was not guaranteed.”
The president concluded by saying: “What happened today is unacceptable. We must make it a precedent for French football, and that’s why we decided to return to Marseille.” However, Nice president Jean-Pierre Rivere, came out to beg for calm over the stadium’s public address system during the delay, felt some blame for the scenes lay with Marseille.
He said: “It’s disappointing that the game ended like this.” “Everyone saw what happened. We can’t deny that water bottles were thrown because we could all see them. What ignited the clashes was the reaction of two Marseille players who retaliated.” “Afterwards, it is deplorable that the Marseille security staff intervened on the ground and hit our players.”