Marseille fans boycott PSG game

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MARSEILLE, France, Feb 27, 2010 (AFP) - Marseille fans are boycotting Sunday's game at Paris Saint-Germain in protest over stringent security measures by the French authorities imposed to reduce the risk of violent clashes between the bitter rivals' supporters.

The move was announced by a spokesman for Winners, one of the club's main supporters' group.

"There's a general boycott," he told AFP on Saturday.

"We made this decision some time ago. No one will go up there (to Paris). It's a kick in the teeth to those who have taken these measures which we can't accept."

Another Marseille supporters' group, the Ultras, had already declared their intention not to travel to the match, which has been classified as high risk by French security forces.

Around 1,500 Marseille fans were expected to make the trip to the Parc des Princes for Sunday evening's game.

Marseille president Jean-Claude Dassier, who confirmed that he too would not be attending the game, applauded the decision.

"Marseille supporters don't agree and they're right at being lumped together in the same bag as PSG," he said.

Earlier Saturday the Ultras had said they had cancelled their trip to the capital as they refused to be treated "like criminals".

According to security plans drawn up for the match, buses ferrying Marseille fans to the Parc des Princes were to be escorted from the time they left Marseille, and not, as usual, when they arrived in the Paris suburbs.

Body searches were also to be carried out before fans boarded the coaches, and match tickets were only being handed out at the time of departure.

Security officials had also demanded a full list of names of the travelling fans.

This is not the first such boycott of 'Le Clasico' by eight-time French champions Marseille's fans.

In 2006 the south-coast side's supporters followed advice from the then Marseille management, who were concerned that their security could not be assured.

For that game Marseille sent their youth team in protest, who came away with a 0-0 draw.