Incident Grave in Saint-Étienne: An Assistant Arbitrator Injured by a Projectile

A dramatic incident marked the meeting between AS Saint-Étienne and an unidentified club, interrupting the break of the first half. The central referee, François Letexier, made the decision to bring the two teams back to the locker room a few seconds from the whistle of the half-time, following the injury of one of his assistants.

According to the information gathered, Mr. Rahmouni, the assistant referee, was hit in the head by a projectile, probably a coin, launched from the stands occupied by Stéphanese supporters. The nurses of the Forezian club immediately took care of the official, visibly ringed.

Safety was reinforced around the shooting zone, but this irresponsible event exacerbated the difficulties already encountered by the Saint-Étienne AS. The LFP recalled that the party must resume within 45 minutes of the interruption. In the event of non-compliance with this deadline, the meeting will be declared definitively closed, with the resulting disciplinary sanctions, including a green carpet defeat or penalty points.

Discussions are currently under way between officials, match delegates and security authorities. The return of the players to the lawn remains uncertain, depending on Mr. Rahmouni’s state of health and the assessment of the safety climate at the stadium. The situation raises serious questions about the safety of the meetings and could have important consequences for the Saint-Étienne AS.