Laure Boulleau sounds alarm over violence threatening amateur football's future

Laure Boulleau is sounding the alarm over rising violence in French football, both amateur and professional, as her documentary Et si on se calmait? is released.

The former international and TV consultant co-directs the film, which examines a phenomenon she has observed on pitches and in stands for nearly a decade. Her commitment to the issue, she says, crystallized with the birth of her daughter two and a half years ago. “Since she arrived, I feel I have a different sense of responsibility,” she tells L’Équipe. “I have the feeling that violence is increasing. It’s glaring when I talk to parents who are increasingly hesitant to enroll their children in a football club.”

What irritates her most are “the countless shouts around the pitch, with harsh words from adults toward young players who are playing and about the decisions of young referees.” The documentary addresses the issue comprehensively: from professionals setting a bad example — Olympique Lyonnais manager Paulo Fonseca is cited — to young players imitating them, as well as parents and supporters whose pressure around youth matches continues to grow.

Boulleau points to a concrete risk for football practice in France. She fears that “gradually the number of registered players will drop sharply” and that the sport will lose its social mixing function. “I want people to enjoy going to play, to meet different sections of society. Without being afraid,” she insists. A call not to “get used to” a climate she now deems unbearable.