A six-year-old throwing paper cups onto the pitch during a Ligue 1 match has made some unusual headlines. The HAC club, citing the principle of equal treatment for all fans, imposed a two-month stadium ban on the boy and his uncle.

Incident at Stade Océane

The incident occurred on November 10, during a clash between the Le Havre and Reims teams. According to reports by France Bleu Normandie and L'Équipe, the young fan was filmed throwing paper cups and pieces of paper towards the pitch at Stade Océane. What's more, the uncle accompanying him did not react to the boy's behaviour. As a result, the HAC club decided to punish both the child and his guardian. The six-year-old and his uncle were banned from the next three matches (two months).

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"The rules are the same for everyone"

Le Havre Athletic Club representatives stress that the rules at the stadiums make no distinction between the ages of the participants. The rules do not differentiate between a child and an adult’ and from this it follows that any incident in the stadium deserves a penalty. ‘All children must come to the stadium accompanied. For their safety, but also to remind them how to behave the club added.

The decision to ban the stadium was taken after analysing CCTV footage. The Ligue 1 delegate's report noted that the thrown cups fell to the edge of the pitch, but did not cause an interruption to the match or injuries. The HAC club thus avoided a financial penalty of €4,000 that could have been imposed by the Disciplinary Committee. Le Havre president Jean-Michel Roussier justified the decision by pointing out the need to comply with the regulations. Whether he's 6 years old or 60 years old, it's the same rate of penalty Roussier explained in an interview with RMC station.

According to the club, the ban was primarily intended to educate - both the boy and his guardian. We need to raise the awareness of those who accompany us and show that the stadium should remain a place for celebration, not for venting anger explained a person connected with the HAC.

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