"We all saw that gesture and we all understood its meaning": Le Havre demands sanctions against Dönnum, Toulouse defends its player

Le Havre's "very mature" week (1-0 victories at Auxerre and 1-0 against Brest), as described by their coach Didier Digard, was about to conclude with another positive result this Sunday in Toulouse (0-0) . Then, an incident occurred in stoppage time (90+1), diverting all attention from HAC's collective performance. Following a minor altercation with Simon Ebonog, Aron Dönnum waved his right hand in front of his nose, a gesture that sparked strong reactions.

On the sidelines, Digard immediately alerted the fourth official, questioning the nature of the incident. Mr. Stinat, officiating at the Stadium, then approached the Le Havre coach to issue him a warning for his "vehemence," as the manager later clarified. His player also received a similar sanction for his overly aggressive tackle on the Norwegian. However, Dönnum escaped without a yellow card. This infuriated Digard, who was just as furious at the final whistle as he was minutes later, reacting to the incident on Ligue 1+.

"We all saw that gesture and we all understood its meaning. In 2025, that's not possible."

When asked if he considered the gesture an act of racism, the former Nice coach responded with further questions: "What interpretation is there? In the end, if I'm told it's not racist, what is it? Is it saying my player stinks? Isn't that demeaning, humiliating, or hurtful? (...) In fact, if we don't talk about racism, we can go around saying things like that, even though we're here to play football?"

The only Le Havre player authorized to speak, Abdoulaye Touré, speaking to the broadcaster, was also incensed: "It's a gesture that has no place on a football pitch. It's unacceptable, and I hope it will be reviewed and punished." His sporting director , Mathieu Bodmer, whom we contacted , concurred: "We all saw the gesture, and we all understood its meaning. In 2025, this is unacceptable."

In the corridors of the Stadium, the atmosphere suddenly grew more tense as more people spoke. And when Digard appeared at the press conference, the affair had already escalated to such an extent that the former player (39 years old) preferred to choose his words carefully, so as not to be accused of having made a gaffe. Not once, during the eleven minutes he spent in front of the media, did he utter the word "racism."

“This is an event I don’t want to comment on because I can’t interpret someone else’s thoughts,” he began calmly. “But the least that can be said for this interpretation is that it humiliates my player. If this is the end of it after this gesture, football will be without me. I’m too far removed from this society and what we allow to happen today.” Visibly shaken, to the point of having to cover his face with his hands, as if trying to compose himself, Digard continued: “There’s no sanction for public humiliation? Is this what French football has become? I think we’re on the wrong path.”

“What bothers me is that we let this go. It shows there’s a problem ,” insisted the Le Havre coach. “At a time when we’re using VAR for a goal… (…) If we don’t punish things like this, we have a problem. I love football, it’s fantastic, for spending time together, for integrating, for sharing. Not for this. This is disgusting.” Having been made aware of his counterpart’s remarks and conscious of the seriousness of the situation, Carles Martinez Novell, who took the podium after him, preferred to use his native language to ensure he was understood. “In Toulouse, we have 15 different nationalities and cultures, that’s a lot. Aron made that gesture just as he would have made any other. I know him very well. He’s against racism ,” asserted the Spanish coach of TFC. “That’s why he’s affected by the situation.” His anger had nothing to do with skin color.

Invited to give his version of events, the player explained that his reaction had "nothing to do with racism." "Instead of fighting like I usually do, I did this and I left," said Dönnum, who offered no mea culpa, repeatedly using the word "crazy" to describe the situation and asserting: "It's not the first time I've done it. My teammates have done it before too." That evening, while Le Havre, through Bodmer, demanded sanctions, Toulouse FC issued a statement condemning "in the strongest possible terms the unfounded accusations" made against Dönnum and explaining that it "reserves the right to take any necessary action to defend its player and the facts of the case."