News - Turkish fans attack with knives Armenian footballers in France, fight occurs

A fight took place between Armenians and Turks during a D5 football group match Sunday at a stadium in Valence, France, reports Nouvelles d'Armenie. Two amateur clubs—comprising the Turks of FC Turquoise de Valence and the Armenians of AS Homenetmen de Bourg-les-Valence—played faced each other for the first time. "I strongly condemn the acts of violence that took place today during the football match between FC Turquoise and Homenetmen," stated Valence Mayor Nicolas Daragon. The participants in the fight were slightly injured, Francebleu.fr reports. The stadium was empty when the police had arrived. No arrests have been made. “After a first half where the Armenian club was leading 2-0 and with no hostility present in the match, Turkish supporters stormed the field and physically assaulted the players of the Armenian club,” Zartonk Media wrote on X—formerly Twitter. “These same supporters brandished knives. Two Armenian players, in critical condition, were forced to go to the hospital due to the severity of the injuries inflicted.