A violent altercation marred the U20 football match between Dammarie-les-Lys and Meaux on Sunday afternoon, leading to multiple injuries and drawing strong condemnations from officials.
The match, which was held peacefully at the Dammarie-les-Lys stadium, descended quickly from normalcy to chaos at halftime. A group of approximately 40 young supporters from Dammarie-les-Lys stormed the players' dressing room, entering with baseball bats and sticks.
According to Jean-Luc Larret, president of the Meaux football club, "A group of individuals came with baseball bats and sticks and broke down the door to the dressing room to confront the Meaux players. It ended up as a full-scale brawl." The sudden eruption of violence caught the young athletes off guard, and panic ensued.
During the fracas, the goalkeeper of Meaux, who is only 20 years old, was critically injured with a knife wound to his abdomen. He was rapidly evacuated by helicopter to the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris, where his condition was reported to be life-threatening.
According to reports from police sources, amid the violence, one of the attackers suffered severe injuries during the chaos. "There seems to be confusion. It appears one of the assaulted players used a knife against one of the assailants," stated the police. Notably, two players from the Meaux team, fearing for their safety, jumped fearfully from the dock and landed in the nearby Seine River, with one player reportedly struggling to swim.
Officers on site quickly intervened, jumping in to rescue the distressed players from the river. Both youths who jumped were apprehended but were later released as they were found not to be directly involved in the attack.
Larret expressed deep concern and sadness over the events, stating, "They are all somewhat shocked. We are returning with many bruises. Too often, such settling of scores takes place on football pitches. We are taken hostage for all of this." The emotional toll on the athletes and staff was palpable, marking the incident as one of significant psychological distress for those involved.
Overall, nine individuals were reported injured during this violent clash. The Fédération Française de Football (FFF) denounced the incidents, categorizing them as "acts of unqualifiable violence" and announced intentions to file complaints against unknown assailants as part of their response to this shocking event.
The FFF stated, "We have become aware of the intolerable events which took place at Dammarie-les-Lys today," condemning the violence strongly and publicly addressed to the fans and the media.
Following the melee, the local police have taken charge of the investigation, working to gather more details about the causes and identifying those responsible for inciting the violence.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the volatile nature of sports-related rivalries and how they can quickly escalate, causing harm not only to individuals but impacting teams and communities.