Top French clubs boycott TV over incriminating film
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PARISApr 15, 2015 - 12:00 am GMT+3
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Apr 15, 2015 12:00 am
Paris Saint Germain and Marseille are boycotting a leading French broadcaster for showing footage that portrayed the incidents that led to bans for star players Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Dimitri Payet. Both were punished for tirades aimed at referees, which were shown by Canal Plus. As a reprisal, PSG and Marseille said they will not answer the station's questions after games or at press conferences until the end of the season. Paris coach Laurent Blanc rejected a question from Canal Plus after Saturday's League Cup final win over Bastia. The channel attended Blanc's press conference Tuesday ahead of PSG's Champions League quarter final clash against Barcelona, but it did not try to ask a question. Paris are furious at a four match ban imposed after Canal Plus broadcasted Swedish star Ibrahimovic's expletive-laden rant against referees and France after his side lost at Bordeaux. French international Payet was banned for two matches for shouting at the referees' room that Marseille had been "screwed" after a goal was disallowed in their 0-0 draw with title rivals Lyon. Again, it was shown by the subscription broadcaster which, with BeIn Sport, has the rights to air French league games. France's two most popular clubs said in a statement, "The number of Canal Plus group cameras and microphones that surround the teams in all circumstances and the possibility of a retroactive judgement after the showing of images used as proof by football judges led us to adopt this cautionary approach." Canal Plus deputy director-general Maxime Saada told AFP that the channel had become a "hostage" between the clubs and league disciplinary judges because of video taken around the Ligue 1 matches. He said this was "stopping our teams of journalists from doing their jobs."
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