A Nantes supporter succumbs to injuries following a stabbing incident ahead of a Ligue 1 match
A supporter of the Ligue 1 team Nantes has passed away following a stabbing incident before the club’s 1-0 victory against Nice, as confirmed by the public prosecutor in the western French city on Sunday.
The tragic event unfolded when a group of Nantes fans assaulted several vehicles carrying Nice supporters en route to the Beaujoire stadium ahead of Saturday’s match.
“In the course of these incidents, under circumstances yet to be determined, a 31-year-old man, a supporter of FC Nantes, collapsed and passed away on the spot, despite the swift intervention of emergency services,” stated Nantes public prosecutor Renaud Gaudeul.
The deceased sustained “a wound in the back, which could correspond to a bladed weapon,” explained the prosecutor, noting that an investigation for “voluntary manslaughter” had been initiated.
A source familiar with the case informed AFP that the victim, a member of the Nantes supporters group Brigade Loire, had been stabbed by one of the vehicle drivers. Gaudeul confirmed the apprehension of a 35-year-old driver on Sunday, who turned himself in at a police station in the early hours of the morning.
FC Nantes expressed their sorrow over the death and extended condolences to the victim’s family. The club stated, “Numerous witness interviews are underway and will continue into the night,” adding that they could only lament the loss of a life in such circumstances.
French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera conveyed her condolences in a social media post, emphasizing the need for the investigation to “identify the exact circumstances of the events.”
The fatality occurs amid a context of heightened tensions and recent occurrences surrounding Ligue 1 matches. One week ago, two Brest supporters suffered injuries when their bus was attacked by projectiles following the club’s 3-1 triumph in Montpellier.
Towards the end of October, Lyon’s team bus was pelted with stones en route to Marseille’s Velodrome stadium, resulting in coach Fabio Grosso sustaining facial cuts requiring stitches.
These incidents forced the cancellation of the match just as it was about to commence, with 60,000 fans already present in the stadium.