The French soccer (or football) club LOSC is giving away free tickets to women after male supporters displayed sexist banners during a match this weekend, prompting outrage.
“Ladies, you are welcome with us!” Lille-based club LOSC wrote on its Twitter account, offering free tickets to their home game on Saturday.
Mesdames, chez nous vous êtes les bienvenues ! 😜
➡️ https://t.co/dcEBJIwAy7 pic.twitter.com/YP3qzUram5
— LOSC (@losclive) January 31, 2017
A pair of banners, one depicting a woman with an arrow pointing right alongside the word “kitchen” and the other one showing a man, arrow pointing down to the word “stadium,” were caught on camera by a French TV channel during the first half of Lille’s clash against Lyon. They were reportedly unfurled by Lyon supporters.
The picture provoked an immediate outcry on social media, with users denouncing the banners as “sexist” and “misogynistic.”
In their tweet to fans, the club repurposed one of the controversial signs by replacing the word “kitchen” with the name of their Pierre-Mauroy Stadium where the match will be taking place this weekend.
“LOSC (Lille) welcomes women by proposing an exceptional offer: all places are free for women for LOSC-FC Lorient!”LOSC said, saying the offer was “valid within the limit of places available at this rate”.
France’s woman football team captain Wendie Renard, a rising star of Lyon’s women’s team, also voiced her disbelief and anger on Twitter.
“Lyon supporters… can you give me an explanation for that banner? The men at the stadium, the women in the kitchen?” she asked.
@WRenard le club va sévir et portera plainte contre l'auteur de cette banderole : déplacée et heureusement relayée par 1 individu identifié
— Jean-Michel AULAS (@JM_Aulas) January 29, 2017
Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas responded to her, saying the club would investigate the incident and file a complaint.
