PARIS, Oct 23 (Reuters) – The NFL would have cancelled its first regular-season game in Paris, scheduled for Sunday, if the situation were unsafe, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said on Friday, referring to the recent protests in the French capital.
France experienced some of its worst urban unrest in years last weekend, prompting President Emmanuel Macron to tighten curbs on protests on Thursday amid fears that demonstrations planned for Saturday could turn violent.
The Steelers face the New Orleans Saints at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis on Sunday, around 10 kilometres from Place de la Bastille, where Saturday’s protests are expected to begin.
Four-time NFL MVP Rodgers said he was confident the game would go ahead as planned.
“I definitely think that the NFL is alert to what’s going on,” he told a press conference on Friday.
“This game means a lot to the NFL. If it was unsafe, then I’m sure we wouldn’t be here.”
The first NFL regular-season game in Paris has been largely overshadowed by the nationwide protests, with new demonstrations planned for Saturday. The Steelers informed fans on Thursday that a “Steelers House” fan event in the Bastille neighbourhood would not go ahead.
The US State Department issued a security alert on Thursday night, calling on its citizens to “avoid demonstrations and areas of unrest”.
“Americans in Paris for the NFL game on Sunday, October 25 should also exercise caution and be aware of their surroundings,” the US State Department added.
But the unrest is not the only thing that has disrupted the build-up to the game, with Storm Austen hitting part of the country. Meteo France, the national weather agency, has issued orange alerts for much of the country’s northwest, including the Paris region.
The Steelers landed in France on Friday morning. They were due to practice at the Stade de France before holding a press conference.
They eventually cancelled their training session due to bad weather, and the press conference was moved to their hotel in Paris.
The Saints have been practising this week in Versailles after arriving in France on Monday.
“Due to elevated wind and rain conditions, in accordance with local authorities, there will not be a media viewing portion during today’s Saints practice,” the Saints said in a statement.
The NFL also cancelled a fan event on Friday.
“NFL Experience Paris presented by Wilson is closed for the rest of today due to adverse weather. Please do not attend the site,” the NFL said in a statement.
(Reporting by Vincent DaheronEditing by Christian Radnedge)
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