Racism shows its ugly face again - as a Lyon fan suffers abuse from his own

Mike Tanzey, a black supporter of Olympique Lyonnais, has spoken out about experiencing racism in the stands at OL games. He decided to go public and speak out about the problems that still hold back French society.

Tanzey's decision to speak out came after several incidents involving OL fans, including an attack on the team bus and an assault on Fabio Grosso near the Velodrome stadium. Videos emerged showing some OL supporters making Nazi salutes and racist gestures during matches. These images prompted Tanzey to post on social media, where he not only condemned these actions but also shared his personal experiences with racism within the OL fanbase. He was interviewed by RMC Sport.

"I'd like to say that these people don't represent the club. We, as a club, are not like that. Racists must leave the club. It's a majority of people who are too loud, and that annoys me so much."

He emphasized that the racist incidents don't represent the entire club and its supporters. He noted that it was far from a majority but added that it was frustrating that it happened at all.

Tanzey shared an incident where he was called "Umtiti" (in reference to the black French footballer Samuel Umtiti) by some OL supporters during an away match in Prague. He also described a trip to Porto, where he initially enjoyed the atmosphere and sang the French national anthem with fellow fans but then faced harassment and insults from some spectators. Although he wore an OL jersey and felt he was part of the group, he decided not to respond to the abuse to avoid escalation.

After speaking out, Tanzey received many positive responses, including support from Ada Hegerberg, a player for OL and the 2018 Women's Ballon d'Or winner. However, he also encountered some negative reactions, with a few people dismissing his experiences.

OL, including its former president Jean-Michel Aulas, has acknowledged the problem, and Tanzey reported that the club had indicated it was working on the issue but had limitations within the legal framework. Despite the challenges he's faced, Tanzey remains committed to supporting OL and attending games.

"I continue to go there because I love this club. Whether we win or lose, I will be an OL supporter, I will go to the trips and the matches because I loves football. Obviously, if it really goes too far, I'm not crazy. I'll stop. But at the moment, that would really prove them right."