Olympiacos FC urges its supporters to leave Marseille and tells others not to travel for its match against Olympique de Marseille after French authorities reverse a ban on visiting fans just two days before the fixture.
In a strongly worded statement issued on October 13, the Greek club condemned what it described as the “unprecedented, unacceptable and dangerous” handling of the situation by French authorities.
Olympiacos says authorities initially decided to prohibit its supporters from entering Marseille, not merely attending the match. According to the club, the decision was made early Tuesday morning before being reversed approximately 10 hours later.
The sudden change has left thousands of supporters facing cancelled flights, hotel bookings and other travel arrangements, with the club reporting significant financial losses.
Olympiacos says hundreds of fans who had already travelled to Marseille returned to Greece, while others abandoned their plans after the original prohibition was announced.
The club argues that reversing the ban at such short notice creates further uncertainty and raises serious questions about supporter safety.
Olympiacos Questions Supporter Safety
Olympiacos says the original restrictions were justified by French authorities on public order and security grounds. It now questions how those same authorities can provide sufficient guarantees for supporters following the reversal.
The club says it no longer has confidence in the authorities’ ability to manage the situation consistently and safely.
“OLYMPIACOS FC will under no circumstances expose its fans to danger,” the statement said.
The club has consequently called on supporters already in Marseille to leave safely and urged those who have not travelled to remain at home.
It also confirmed that it would not accept tickets for the fixture, placing supporter safety ahead of participation in the match.
Club Seeks Compensation and UEFA Intervention
Olympiacos has pledged to support collective legal action by its supporters against the French authorities and any other parties deemed responsible.
The club says it intends to pursue compensation for the financial losses supporters incurred because of the successive decisions.
It will also formally ask UEFA to ensure that the section originally allocated to Olympiacos fans remains empty throughout the match rather than being reassigned to Marseille supporters.
The Greek club argues that the handling of the situation risks undermining the credibility and reputation of European football competitions.
Olympiacos says it will use all available institutional and legal channels to defend its supporters’ rights and interests.
The dispute leaves the build up to the European fixture overshadowed by uncertainty over security arrangements, ticketing and the treatment of travelling supporters.
Olympiacos has made clear that it will not accept responsibility for exposing its fans to risks arising from what it describes as contradictory decisions by the French authorities.
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