INTERVIEW
The French professional championships will not resume, but it will be possible to organize friendly matches. This is the message, a bit contradictory, from the Minister of Sports Roxana Maracineanu on Europe 1. "Our ambition is to secure the resumption of competitions with the public, if possible within the limit announced, that is to say less than 5,000 people. We will have to see how this number will evolve, with the circulation of the virus in France, "she warns, referring to the gauge imposed by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on April 29.
"We can also try to see if in the professional world, that there may be possible friendly meetings, from the end of July, or even before."
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The 5,000 spectator gauge can still evolve
Friendly matches in July in front of a maximum of 5,000 spectators, and maybe even more. "If there are fewer sick people hospitalized, we will not impose any number on us. Of course, in July, if it is possible to replay, we will not stay to reopen the stadiums and leave the lawn grow. Today, the figure of 5,000 prevails. It's like everything, as things go on, nobody expected a few weeks ago that we can offer communities to be able to open their enclosures. "
The objective is to be able to return "gradually to a normality which will not be the normality of before, but will have a little taste for it".
>> READ - Ligue 1: Roxana Maracineanu ready to entrust a mission to Jean-Michel Aulas, if it goes "in the interest of football"
"Find a sport with supporters"
While competitions or sporting events behind closed doors seemed to be the dogma retained by the Ministry of Sports, Roxana Maracineanu concedes an evolution at this level. "From the start, what guided my action was to preserve the athletes. We didn't want to run any risk for the athletes and for me, that was really my priority," she recalls. . "Today, we want to give ourselves the chances of a popular sport, to find a sport with supporters. At the end of the month, we hope with the evolution of the pandemic and less circulation of the virus in the society, being able to really get back in touch (with the public, editor's note ) in friendly competitions, since all the 2019-2020 seasons have ended by decision of the authorities. "
Words that will only increase the misunderstanding in the camp of the partisans of a resumption of the professional sports championships, and in particular of Ligue 1, but Roxana Maracineanu maintains its position. "This is the only proposal (the end of the championship, note ) that I had on the table. Obviously, when the Prime Minister delivered his speech on April 29, it was ultimately the best solution at that time there, with the conditions we knew in France. Resuming at the end of August is responsible. "