Parched pitch, music festival force Ligue 1 match to be called off

Paris, Aug 12, 2022 (AFP) - The French Ligue 1 football match between Lorient and Lyon this weekend has been called off because of the poor quality of the Brittany outfit's pitch, officials said.

The club hosted the 'Festival Interceltique' music event last weekend, the impact of which has been compounded by the scorching, dry weather.

Two visits by league officials to inspect the pitch, which is parched in patches and pitted in others, found it unsafe to play on.

"The state of the pitch at the Moustoir stadium makes it unsafe," the LFP said.

The match will be rescheduled for a later date.

The club had the same problem in 2018 afer staging the same festival.

In England last week, the second-tier game between Coventry and Rotherham was called off after the pitch had been damaged by a summer series of concerts and extensive use during the Commonwealth Games.