Football
Ian Holyman, France correspondent 10y

Bastia hit back at French government over fan ban for Lens game

Bastia have reacted angrily to the French Interior Minister's decision to ban Lens fans from travelling to Corsica for Saturday's Ligue 1 fixture.

Bernard Cazeneuve took the step in response to violence at Bastia's home game with Marseille on the opening day of the season, when pitched battles outside the Stade Furiani left a reported 44 police officers injured.

Though no such step was taken for Bastia's home game with Toulouse last month -- as the south-westerners have very small travelling support -- the measure was considered necessary given the much more significant following Lens would bring with them from northern France.

In a statement released on their official website, Bastia expressed their "consternation and anger" at the move, and claimed it was "seriously defamatory vis-a-vis our supporters." They also argued that their fans were being stereotyped.

The statement added: "Without denying that against Marseille certain youngsters had their faces covered, we remind the Minister that the Sporting Club of Bastia is neither the Ku Klux Klan and nor should the Stade Furiani be confused with holy week in Pamplona."

The club added they reserved the right to take counter-measures against the Minister's decision, and stated Cazeneuve had acknowledged mistakes had been made in explaining the reasoning behind it.

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