In a press release, ESTAC Troyes have revealed that four players have been sacked for their role in the violent scenes that saw last weekend’s Ligue 2 encounter against Valenciennes suspended.
After relegation from Ligue 1 last season, the club is now on the verge of dropping down to France’s third tier, National 1. With three games remaining the City Group-owned club are seven points off safety. Their last match, against already-relegated Valenciennes, was abandoned with the score at 1-1.
Expressing their anger, Troyes supporters began to throw flares onto the pitch which saw the Troyes players attempt to clear the missiles, throwing and kicking them back towards the home stands. The referee paused the game causing a delay of fifteen minutes while the debris was cleared and an attempt to restore calm was set in motion.
😲 Chaotic scenes in Ligue 2.
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) May 3, 2024
Troyes owned by the City Football Group sit on the brink of two successive relegations.
Their match abandoned at 1-1 against bottom-placed VAFC.
The game restarted but a new barrage of flares rained down onto the pitch causing the referee to abandon the match and the police to become involved to the frustration of the Troyes players, some of whom went to confront the supporters, with Junior Olaitan (21) pictured throwing the flares back at the fans.
ESTAC Troyes have now revealed that the four players who were videoed throwing flares back into the stands have been sacked. “Despite the multiple provocations, it is clear that their reaction was also dangerous,” read the statement, justifying the decision.
Suite aux événements survenus lors du match de vendredi, l’ESTAC Troyes a procédé à une enquête interne et prendra les mesures suivantes.
— ESTAC Troyes (@estac_officiel) May 8, 2024
Les lancements d’engins pyrotechniques sur le terrain par des détenteurs de billets sont considérés par le Club comme des actes dangereux et…
For their part, nine supporters have also seen their season tickets cancelled and a stadium ban imposed. There will be no fans in the stadium at all when Annecy visit on 17th May with the LFP imposing a full stadium ban for the encounter, whilst ESTAC fans will not be permitted to travel to watch their side face Laval. A decision on the outcome of the abandoned match will be made on 22nd May, announced the LFP’s Disciplinary Commission. It is at that point that any further punishments will be imposed.
