The knee injury to French Ligue 1 side Lille OSC player Sofiane Boufal, who will need surgery, “has fueled controversy” over synthetic pitches in French football, according to LE FIGARO. After Boufal’s Manager Frédéric Antonetti “blamed Lorient’s synthetic pitch for the injury,” now the French Professional Footballers Union (UNFP) has “joined the cause” (LE FIGARO, 5/3). The UNFP said in a statement, "The injury to Sofiane Boufal cannot be overlooked -- first and foremost by the UNFP and FIFPro, for which the physical integrity of players should be a priority and eclipse all other considerations (climate or maintenance costs). All studies arrive at the same conclusion: practicing professional football on synthetic surfaces increases the risk of injuries including muscle trauma, stress on joints and burns. It is for this reason that the UNFP asks the French Professional League (LFP) to act so that all Ligue 1 clubs have natural pitches starting early next season (UNFP).
HYBRID OPTIONS: L’ÉQUIPE reported Lorient bosses announced that “AirFibr will install a hybrid pitch” at the Stade du Moustoir for next season. AirFibr has equipped “a number of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 stadiums including Troyes, Metz, Saint-Étienne, Bordeaux and Marseille.” Ligue 2 side Nancy, which will be promoted to Ligue 1 next season, will continue to play on a synthetic pitch until ’17 “when it will convert to a natural pitch, according to club President Jacques Rousselot” (L’ÉQUIPE, 5/3).
