PARIS (AP) France’s secretary of sport says soccer matches around the country will go ahead this weekend in the wake of the deadly attacks in Paris, saying “life must go on.”
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Thierry Braillard said in an interview Wednesday with sports daily L’Equipe that calling games off would be “exactly what these barbarians want,” referring to the gunmen and suicide bombers who attacked Paris last Friday night.
Braillard says French football league president Frederic Thiriez is “totally” in agreement with the decision.
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Friday’s rampage led to sporting events in Paris and other cities being canceled last weekend.
There was no top-level league football scheduled because of the international break - France hosted Germany at the Stade de France, where explosives were detonated outside - so the French first division will resume Friday evening when Lyon travels to Nice.