“At one point, we’re going to say stop”: after the incidents in Bastia, referees want to be better protected

“They were courageous,” judges the spokesperson for the Union of Elite Football Referees (Safe), Olivier Lamarre, who spoke on Sunday morning with the officials concerned and even mentioned the explosion of an agricultural bomb near the lawn. Until the end, they allowed the match to take place in accordance with the rules and in complete fairness. The public authorities insisted that this meeting resume, for fear of even greater security concerns. They heard this request after having had assurances of their safety. But even after that, we cannot say that people were very calm in the forum concerned…”