Bastia official on hunger strike

One of Bastia's officials has gone on hunger strike by way of protesting about his club being banned from playing at home.

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Already performing behind closed doors, Bastia were Thursday told by the disciplinary commission of the French League (LFP) that they were no longer allowed to play at their Furiani Stadium after an incident during Wednesday's game with Marseille.

Unhappy about their ban owing to violent incidents, dissenting fans set off fireworks outside the ground while the game was going on in Corsica, forcing the LFP to take action.

But Jo Bonavita, a 73-year-old logistical officer at the club, has taken dramatic steps to represent his unhappiness.

"The decision I took today was to start a hunger strike,'' he said in a video interview with Bastia`s website.

"I put the health of this club first and the survival of the club first. There are families who make a living from Sporting and it's important for the players too.

"The next home match against Nancy on December 22 will be played in Furiani.
It's as simple as that.

"I'm 73 years old and I've seen the doctor about it but I'll take the health risk so that the club can move forward.''

Speaking on Thursday, the LFP said Bastia could not play at home while they looked into a number of their games.

The October derby with Ajaccio carried crowd trouble with it, while the the Coupe de la Ligue quarter-final with Lille was halted when a linesman was hit with a missile.