French ministers to meet football chiefs after Payet incident

Agence France-Presse• ·
LYON, FRANCE - NOVEMBER 21: The match is stopped after only few minutes when Dimitri Payet of OM - here checked by a doctor - is hit by a plastic bottle of water thrown by a supporter of Lyon during the Ligue 1 Uber Eats match between Olympique Lyonnais (OL) and Olympique de Marseille (OM) at Groupama Stadium on November 21, 2021 in Decines near Lyon, France. . After two hours of waiting, the match is definitely stopped and supporters have to leave the stadium, frustrated.
John Berry / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Paris, Nov 22, 2021 (AFP) - The French ministers of the interior and sports are to meet with football chiefs on Tuesday after the Marseille v Lyon Ligue 1 fixture was abandoned after Dimitri Payet was hit in the head by a bottle.

The Marseille captain required treatment after being struck on the side of the head as he prepared to take a corner for the visitors in the fifth minute of Sunday's match at Lyon's Parc OL stadium, prompting both teams to return to the changing rooms.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin and Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu will meet with representatives from the French football league and the French football federation to see "what must be done".

It is the latest incident in a Ligue 1 season that has been rocked by incidents involving spectators.

An individual was arrested and taken into custody after being identified by stadium security cameras following the Payet incident, police told AFP.

Payet was also hit by a bottle during a game at Nice in August. He had been heckled by Lyon supporters while warming up before kick-off.

Nice were docked a point after the incident with Marseille, who on Wednesday were ordered to play their next home game behind closed doors after trouble during last month's clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

The game between Nice and Marseille was halted with 15 minutes left and replayed in its entirety two months later on neutral ground in Troyes and without fans.

Nice were also ordered to play three games behind closed doors. Lens incurred a similar punishment following a pitch invasion during September's northern derby against Lille.

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