Sidney Govou cites racism fears for preventing son from attending Lyon matches

Former Lyon and Panathinaikos midfielder Sidney Govou has stated that he refuses to let his 17-year-old mixed-race son attend matches at Lyon’s stadium due to fears of racism from supporters.

Govou noted that while he experienced racial abuse during his playing career, he is now reacting as a father. He expressed concern that the phenomenon of hatred exceeding the boundaries of football is excessively intense in Lyon, though he noted different experiences in Marseille and Paris.

He emphasized that racism is a criminal offense rather than merely a political opinion and called for immediate action in cooperation with the government. Govou suggested that extremist political parties, regardless of their stance, are contributing to this dangerous climate.