The Marseille prosecutor’s office has opened a preliminary investigation after accusations of threats targeting senior OM officials, including president Pablo Longoria, by supporters’ representatives against a backdrop of crisis within the club, we learned on Monday from judicial sources.
An investigation was opened on Sunday, indicated Dominique Laurens, public prosecutor of Marseille, confirming information from the regional daily La Provence. It was opened against X, “counts of extortion, blackmail and threats under conditions”, she told AFP.
On September 18, while OM was having a difficult start to the season, a very stormy meeting brought together the main officials of the club and those of the major supporters’ associations, particularly influential in Marseille, at the Commanderie, the training center of the club. Fan leaders had demanded the resignation of Pablo Longoria, the club’s Spanish president, as well as those of three other board members present at the meeting: football director Javier Ribalta, general manager Pedro Iriondo, both Spaniards, and financial director Stéphane Tessier. They also spoke of “worrying deviations” within the club, particularly around the training center.
The next day, Pablo Longoria and his colleagues denounced the attitude of their interlocutors in a press release: “The OM Directory cannot accept personal threats. Its members cannot tolerate individual attacks and any form of unfounded public defamation.” They also denounced “a relationship based on intimidation”. The club’s coach, the Spaniard Marcelino, then resigned. Mr. Longoria, after briefly “stepping back”, finally announced on Friday his decision to remain at the head of the club, while calling for the disappearance of a “system” based on “fear”.
Mr. Longoria had also announced his intention to file a complaint, but the prosecutor told AFP on Monday that no complaint had yet been received by the courts. If this were to be the case, it would be joined to the investigation already opened, she clarified. Leaders of supporter groups denied to AFP any death threat or request for resignation from Marcelino.