Incidents during the Nice-Marseille match: suspended prison sentence for a Nice supporter

The incidents caused the Nice-Marseille football match to be definitively stopped at the end of August. The Nice supporter who kicked Dimitri Payet was sentenced, Thursday, September 30, to a one-year suspended prison sentence and five years of stadium ban. This sentence pronounced by the criminal court of Nice is lower than the requisitions of the prosecutor, who had asked for one year of imprisonment of which six months closed.

Tony Calzoni, 28-year-old interim and supporter of OGC Nice since his childhood, therefore escapes prison. His sentence is, however, accompanied by a period of two years of probationary follow-up and a “Duty of care”. He will also have to justify “A job or a training”. “There is no firm imprisonment, we have not heard an example”, specified the president during the deliberation.

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The Nice supporter is also banned from the stadium “For five years, ie the maximum ban”, added the president. He will have to “Point at the police station during each meeting between Nice and OM”, but it will be dispensed with for the other matches of OGC Nice.

“It is a decision which seems to me balanced and proportionate and below the requisitions of the public prosecutor”, reacted Me Benjamin Taïeb, advocate for the supporter, who “Will not appeal” : “The five-year stadium ban is completely legitimate, so my client is happy with this decision”, he added.

” I panicked “

On August 22, during the third day of Ligue 1, the Nice-Olympique de Marseille match was definitively interrupted at the 78e minute, while Dimitri Payet, the Marseille playmaker, who was about to take a corner, was the target of ultra Nice supporters.

Hit in the back by a plastic water bottle, Payet returned the projectile to the audience. Dozens of supporters of OGC Nice had then invaded the lawn, causing a general fight between supporters, players of the two teams and members of the management of the two clubs.

According to video recordings, the supporter was the first to invade the pitch and walked with his foot forward towards Payet. “I went downstairs to demand an account and an explanation. I saw several players around me and I panicked ”, had he justified himself during the hearing on September 22?

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At the time of these serious incidents, Nice was leading 1 to 0. But the match will be replayed on October 27 on neutral ground and one point was withdrawn from OGC Nice. Another Nice supporter, accused of having given a Nazi salute during the same meeting, will be tried on October 13.

The World with AFP

www.lemonde.fr

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