On Friday, April 3rd, the match for the 29th day of Ligue 2 between Bastia and Amiens (1-1) took place at the Paul-Lignon stadium in Rodez, on neutral ground and behind closed doors, in accordance with the provisional sanctions imposed by the LFP disciplinary body following the incidents that occurred during the Bastia – Boulogne match in Furiani on March 13th. These sanctions could be extended this Wednesday. Below are further details.
During the 29th day of Ligue 2 last Friday, while Rodez Aveyron football was held to a draw against Dunkirk (1-1), another draw (1-1) was silently played at its usual stadium, Paul-Lignon, between Bastia and Amiens, behind closed doors due to a decision by the disciplinary committee of the Professional Football League, following the incidents that took place in Furiani on March 13th alongside the Bastia – Boulogne match. These actions were described as “ignition of fires in the stands, use and throwing of pyrotechnic devices, intrusion and attempted intrusion of supporters into restricted access areas” by the French professional football watchdog.
A provisional sanction was imposed “considering the seriousness of the incidents, the risk of recurrence, and to ensure the smooth running of competitions,” according to the LFP, which also decided to initiate an investigation into the matter. The press release dated March 19th specified: “The final decision will be made at the end of the session on Wednesday, April 8th, during which the investigator will submit his report.”
Regarding the ten times higher “all-inclusive” fee of 40,000 euros, Gueugnon and its stadium were also surveyed by Bastia for the match last Friday. It is possible that SC Bastia will once again request the Rodez club, with whom they have very good relations, and the municipality, the owner of the facility, if the punishment of “neutral ground behind closed doors” extends beyond one match. As of today, based on our information, the City has not been approached in advance.
The City had a agreement with the club for the use of their facility for 4,000 euros, according to our sources. This rate is significantly lower than the 40,000 euros set by the Rodez officials for several months for a standard match, with various associated services and all four stands open to the public. The municipal service provided on Friday was minimal, with only a gardener and an electrician present; Raf members accustomed to organizing matches at the Vieussens street venue were responsible for assisting.
It remains to be seen if, in the event of a new request from the governing body, the schedules of the two clubs will align. While this weekend Bastia plays away at Red Star on Saturday and Rodez hosts Troyes on Monday night, both SC Bastia and Raf play at home the following weekend—albeit with a one-day difference: Rodez against Amiens on Friday at 8:00 PM and Bastia against Saint-Etienne on Saturday at the same time.
