Clampdown on football chants in France - France's “Ligue de Football Professionnel” President Nathalie Boy de la Tour has come under fire after saying that homophobic chants were part of the culture of the sport. Boy de la Tour's comments sounded out of sync with the view of organisations such as “Rouge Direct” in France and “Kick It Out” in Britain which aim to stamp out homophobia, racism and discrimination in football.
In an interview with "Le Parisien" newspaper Boy de la Tour said "What you hear in a stadium, you won't hear it outside, when you go shopping. In the stadium it's not acceptable as such but it's part of the folklore,"
Her comments came in reponse to French sports minister Roxana Maracineanu's proposal to work harder to implement a ban on homophobic chants in stadiums. SOS Homophobie, said Boy de la Tour's comments risked making homophobia seem acceptable or normal. The minister added she had been shocked by the chants she heard at the Parc des Princes this month when she attended Paris St Germain's 3-1 defeat of Olympique de Marseille.
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