Wednesday February 26. France deplores its first death linked to coronavirus. A 60-year-old teacher died in the Oise. According to the Minister of Health Olivier Véran, 18 people have been detected positive for this new virus across the country. In Italy, on the other hand, the epidemic has already started: the authorities speak of 374 cases and 12 deaths. The last day of the Nice carnival is canceled. However, despite the concerns of some local elected officials, the knockout round of the Champions League betweenOlympique Lyonnais and the Juventus Turin is maintained.
The match sold out. Nearly 60,000 spectators at the Groupama Stadium, including Mario, supporters from Lyon who came with his children.
“The match could take place. So for me, it is that all the precautions had been taken before. After us, the only fear we had was those supporters who came from Italy, this country which was already starting to be affected a lot. And we said to ourselves: they are parked in a place, they have no relations with the Lyon supporters theoretically there should not be any problem. But that is guesswork “ he regrets.
“Looking back, I almost blame myself for going there, for myself and for my children” – a supporter
“I think that things could have filtered. With hindsight, I almost resent going there. Because I took a lot of risk I think. For myself and for my children” admits Mario. “And I think we should have banned this match when we knew that Italian supporters were moving. Or, at least, not have the supporters move. Play the match, but without the supporters. I think it would have been a little more reassuring“.
60,000 spectators at Groupama Stadium
On match day, the supporters “bianconeri” crossed at Lyon, especially from Bologna, Parma, Perugia and of course from Piedmont, admit that they do not understand these fears. The era is carefree. And beyond the 3,000 supporters who came for the official trip, many others Italians, took their cars to come and attend the meeting. In side stands. With the Lyonnais public. Turin is only 300 big kilometers from Lyon.
“What you have to see is that there are a lot of Italians in Lyon, specifies Gilles, supporter of OL who also attended this 8th final. And there are many people who came from Italy with seats in the stands. Because the people who came as supporters and who were limited in their area, they came before. When the match ended, they took them out afterwards, they took their cars. It went well. On the other hand, there are Italians who certainly came with Italian friends (from Lyon) who had their places in the stands or elsewhere. And we can’t control anything. A month ago, we were at the beginning of the pandemic, personally I thought that the problem could come more from Italians than Franco-French“.
Some have sounded the alarm
However, some have sounded the alarm: the mayors of Meyzieu and Décines-Charpieu, where the Olympique Lyonnais stadium is located, called for a ban on the arrival of Italian supporters “in the name of the precautionary principle but also of the prevention of any disturbance to public order“They received the support of three LREM deputies from the Rhône and several members of the political opposition, but without succeeding in making the authorities bend. A month later, the mayor of Décines, Laurence Fautra, don’t regret anything. She remains convinced that this match played in the spread of the epidemic.
“There was a precautionary principle to be had, which was not understood by our leaders”
“Only scientists can prove it. But in any case I think that this grouping of 60,000 people, with people who came from Italy, and that we are all a little confined to the stadium, yes, I do not think it was a good thing for our agglomeration. There was surely a principle of precaution to have and which was not understood unfortunately by our governors “ she denounces.
“In view of what had happened in other regions of the world and in other countries, it should have been stopped right away. It was too risky, too, too risky. It was not From the start it was not logical. But afterwards there are financial issues which unfortunately make the voice of a small mayor not very much, in absolute terms. As we say, the figures are stubborn, only the numbers and the scientists will be able to tell us if this cause is the match and this regrouping. I have the impression that yes, I have the impression that indeed it had to play, that to weigh, now assert it i can’t“.
Peak death in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, two weeks after the match
The doctor Marcel Garrigou-Grandchamp, doctor general practitioner in Lyon, elected to the URPS (Regional Unions of Health Professionals), compared the figures of official patients and deaths linked to the coronavirus in different departments of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. And for him, things are clear.
“I noted a peak of death around March 12 only on the Rhône, which I do not find on the three other departments that I examined, namely Isère, Haute-Savoie and Loire, just almost two weeks after this match, with accelerated deaths “ he details. “This is why I said that there may be a correlation between these events, where there are crowds coming together, which go against what has been called social distancing to explain these contaminations and this increase in the number of cases. “
“I had discussions with the ARS who said: but no, there is no correlation. So I said to them: how do you explain the figures because the facts are stubborn? Well, they did not explanation, mine is not good but they have no others to oppose“.
“The ARS tells me but no, no correlation, but how do you explain the figures, because the facts are stubborn?” – a general practitioner
After the Rhône, the Loire is the second AURA department with the most Covid-19 patients. The departments are closely linked economically, the round trips of many employees are daily between Lyon and Saint Etienne. But the acceleration of the Loire curve is offset from that of the Rhône. And the Lyon-Turin match does not seem to be the right explanation according to doctor Marcel Garrigou-Grandchamp who points to another meeting: the semi-final of the French Cup AS Saint-Etienne–Rennais Stadium Thursday March 5 at Geoffroy-Guichard with more than 30,000 people, including 400 authorized Rennes supporters.
“Growth in the Loire department took place much later. Around March 20. So it’s much too late for the Lyon-Turin match “ continues Doctor Marcel Garrigou-Grandchamp. “On March 20, it corresponds to an event around the 5th. (Perhaps another football match in this case the semi-final of the Coupe de France between ASSE and Rennes?) “Yes. Eventually, yes. It also brought together the public, with people who are close, who congratulate themselves, who kiss, with contacts, and possibilities of contamination … If we analyze the figures, with the same rigor as for the other departments , I tell you this is an event around March 5th. So it corresponds to this French cup match“concludes the Lyonnais general practitioner.
That evening, the Greens qualified for the final, 38 years later. Historical success. The lawn is even invaded by thousands of people who congratulate and kiss. Before the meeting, the opportunity to play behind closed doors had been mentioned. But at that time, the measures of the government concerned only the closed enclosures.