PARIS — The president of Marseille, Pablo Longoria, has been slapped with a 15-match suspension by the French soccer league following his contentious remarks on refereeing corruption. His outburst came after a disappointing 3-0 loss against Auxerre, where he alleged that biased refereeing decisions were intentionally made against his team. Criticism of Longoria’s comments surged from various quarters, especially within the referees’ community, prompting him to issue a formal apology.
The league’s disciplinary committee announced that Longoria’s suspension is comprehensive, barring him from any official capacities, including taking part in team bench activities, accessing the dressing room, entering the tunnel, and all other restricted areas.
Fabrizio Ravanelli, a former player for Marseille who currently serves as a club advisor, also expressed his dissatisfaction, specifically with the game’s referee, Jérémy Stinat, accusing him of incompetence.
Ravanelli was dealt a three-match suspension, and both his and Longoria’s penalties will commence the following Tuesday.
Despite receiving death threats post-match, Stinat conveyed through an interview with the sports outlet L’Equipe that he remains prepared to officiate Marseille games.
Marseille, which presently occupies second position in Ligue 1, is scheduled to face Nantes at home this Sunday, a match Longoria is allowed to attend. However, with only ten rounds remaining this season, his suspension will linger into the subsequent season.
