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PARIS - The image of "boules", or petanque, as a peaceable game for old men in berets has been shattered by an outbreak of "bouliganisme" in rural France.
One local petanque federation, at Nievre in western Burgundy, has been forced to suspend competitive matches after a series of brawls and acts of vandalism on the boules "piste" or pitch.
Incidents have included assaults with the heavy metal "boules" themselves and vicious exchanges of words and blows.
Some players blame the actions of a minority of travelling people who are fond of boules.
Others say that the problem is much wider than that and has been fuelled by drink and betting.
Herve Basset, editor of Boulisme magazine, said: "There has always been a certain amount of winding up of opponents. Now it is not funny any more. There are provocative remarks, threats ... We have gone from jests to punches."
Incidents have been reported in recent months in Normandy, Languedoc and the southwest but the most serious outbreaks of violence have been in Nievre, just west of the great bend in the River Loire.
Last October a group of travellers were accused of refusing to pay for their drinks at the "buvette", or outdoor bar, at a boulodrome near Nevers. After a similar incident in March, a club president said that he was backed against a wall and a small shearing knife was pointed at his throat.
In May, there were scuffles after accusations of a theft of boules. The Prefect, or senior national Government official, ordered all competitive matches in the Nievre departement to be suspended indefinitely. A partial resumption is planned next week, following a peaceful demonstration in Nevers last weekend.
The word "bouliganisme" has been coined by the local press. But unlike football hooliganism, most of the bad behaviour comes from the players, not the spectators.
Although the prizes for winning local boules contests are relatively small - around ¬500 ($886) for a team of three - large side bets are sometimes made.
To raise the cash for the prizes, boules clubs rely on the profit from sales of drink. They have, so far, refused suggestions that boules pistes should go dry.
- INDEPENDENT
