Chelsea owners accused of 'censorship' as BlueCo lose control

Martin Macdonald

• 26 Sep 2025 07:00 CDT
• 9 min read

News

Chelsea owners BlueCo have been accused of 'censorship' by fans of Strasbourg as the civil war between the Ligue 1 outfit and the supporters spirals out of control.

BlueCo's unpopular ownership of Strasbourg has repeatedly come in for criticism from large sections of the fanbase, but the situation is now becoming more serious than ever.

Strasbourg's four biggest supporter groups have coalesced into a united front against BlueCo and club president Marc Keller after being subjected to what they describe as 'censorship' and 'collective sanctions.'

The latest breakdown in the relationship between the club and the fans comes in the wake of Emanuel Emegha's hugely controversial move to Chelsea. The Dutchman, named Racing's captain over the summer, will join the Blues next year.

After this deal was announced, Strasbourg fans hung up a banner calling Emegha a 'BlueCo pawn' and demanding he be stripped of his captaincy. When he scored away at Paris FC at the weekend, a large chunk of the travelling fans refused to celebrate.

Strasbourg fans announce strike; BlueCo respond

In the wake of the anti-Emegha banners, which reportedly left the striker 'devastated,' Strasbourg president Keller announced that 'a number of measures' would be taken to ensure that such an incident won't occur again and that the perpetrators would be punished.

This has now prompted the fierce response from fan groups alluded to above, with Ultra Boys 90, Kop Ciel & Blanc, la Fédération des supporters du Racing and Pariser Section announcing that they will no longer vocally support the team.

The groups have stated that they will 'respect the arrangements' - i.e. the measures put in place - for Friday evening's highly-anticipated clash with Marseille, but that they will 'contest their unfair nature and their infringement of our rights.'

The statement added that they will not 'legitimise a climate of censorship and collective sanctions' by 'singing as if nothing happened.' BlueCo have since issued a public response in which the Chelsea owners assert that their commitment to Strasbourg is 'unwavering and forever.'

The situation has become incredibly tense, but Strasbourg's supporters insist that they continue to favour 'appeasement' and want to have an open dialogue with the owners. You can read the full statements from the fan coalition as well as BlueCo below.

Strasbourg fan statement

"Following our press release on Tuesday and our discussions with the press this morning, we wish to refine our position and our next actions. Our associations have always been active at the Meinau, organising travel and defending Racing's identity, and have always done so, even more so since the club filed for bankruptcy in 2011.

"This voluntary and time-consuming investment has always been carried out in a spirit of loyalty and dialogue. Contrary to the accusations, our banners were not aimed at individuals but at positions of responsibility. We understand that they could legitimately be interpreted differently.

"However, portraying them as insulting or illegal is part of a process of exploitation, with the sole purpose of justifying collective sanctions and censorship measures against our associations. The stated objective of certain individuals within the club is to try to isolate our associations. Divide and conquer.

"We calmly reaffirm a simple principle: expressing an opinion is not a crime - it is the normal exercise of freedom of expression. Since our press release, we have received a response. Tersely. Without opening a real discussion or taking the time to meet with us. The refusal to detail what we are accused of and to describe the alleged failings persists.

"This response is a copy-paste of the same message to each of our four associations, which are nevertheless in different situations. At the same time, we are seeing a serious and unprecedented hardening of the situation on the ground: abusive checks and requests for identity documents by private security personnel during our trip to Paris (PFC), logistical uncertainty and vagueness for future trips, and logistical constraints aimed at preventing us from carrying out our activities as supporters.

"These methods are disproportionate and unfairly burden our members, whose only 'crime' is belonging to associations that signed a joint press release. Some at the club try to intimidate us, provoke us, and push us into making mistakes. We will not give them that satisfaction because our only motivation is our sincere love for the club.

"Our club will never be our adversary because our club is part of our identity. An employee changes employers depending on their opportunities. A supporter does not change clubs. The only red line that must not be crossed is that of the law.

"However, no evidence indicating that we have committed the slightest infraction has been submitted to us. The objective is therefore clearly not to enforce the law, but to deprive us of our freedom of expression.

"Out of a sense of responsibility and because our club will always be at the heart of our lives, we prioritise appeasement and we will respect the arrangements imposed for the Marseille match, while contesting their unfair nature and their infringement of our rights.

"Under these conditions, there will be no vocal support: singing as if nothing had happened would amount to legitimising a climate of censorship and collective sanctions. We want a Meinau that sings, but this requires respect for our fundamental freedoms and a minimum of trust, genuine dialogue, and normal conditions.

"It's also an opportunity to remind ourselves that we have not benefited from any special privileges: most clubs and supporters' associations in the country enter into the same partnerships to optimise the atmosphere in the stadium and facilitate the organisation of matches.

"We make a final appeal to the management, whose decisions are currently causing the stalemate: publicly announce the suspension (even briefly) of repressive decisions and agree to a dialogue in good faith.

"We will then do our part to ensure that the Meinau regains the full atmosphere that has made it famous and that inspires the dreams of both the young and the old among the people of Strasbourg.

"Two banners are planned to be displayed with clear and peaceful messages: 'For an independent, popular, and different Racing,' 'Freedom of expression is a right, not a privilege.'

"Having received no information on what are considered objectionable or 'vexatious' messages, we will assess upon our arrival at the stadium to what extent these two messages will be allowed in a stadium owned by every resident of the metropolitan area.

"In the meantime, we invite our members and supporters to a friendly exchange at the FSRCS headquarters (1 rue du Maréchal Lefebvre) on Friday at 6 p.m., before the match. The motto is simple: calm, unity, and exemplarity."

BlueCo statement

"The pending completion of renovation at Stade de la Meinau is an important milestone for Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace and its community, and a proud moment for everyone who loves this team and this stadium.

"We want to thank the President of the Strasbourg Eurometropolis, the President of the Grand Est Region, the President of the European Collectivity of Alsace, and the Mayor of Strasbourg, and their entire staff and the teams for their cooperation, partnership, and commitment. This project has only been possible because the local authorities and the Club worked closely and collaboratively together.

"We also thank the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), the Direction Nationale du Contrôle de Gestion (DCNG), the French Football Federation (FFF) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for their support and guidance. These are hugely important relationships as we continue to shape the Club’s future, and we are extremely grateful for their trust and collaboration.

"We also want to thank and reiterate our full backing for our Chairman and President Marc Keller. His leadership and dedication over many years has helped guide this Club to where it is today.

"Our relationship with him and the entire management team and staff is a true partnership built on trust and shared ambition, and we very much see it as a long-term commitment as we continue to build for the future of the Club together over the next decades.

"In a short time, since our partnership, the Club has been transformed from a 14th–placed side into a team now competing in European football for the first time in 20 years, qualifying through the league for the first time in 30 years.

"We, together, along with the staff, have done it and made history, with one of the youngest squads in European football, with an average age of just 20.4 years. This is an extraordinary achievement, and we are excited about what the team can achieve this year and for many years to come. This season’s return to European football is a huge milestone for Le Racing.

"We are excited to see the Club back on the European stage after two decades away, and our clear objective is to give Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace everything it needs in terms of investment, infrastructure, and personnel to compete at the highest level and to qualify for European football consistently in the years ahead.

"Racing is in Europe, and our collective ambition for the Club is to continue to be a top team in Ligue 1 and stay in Europe every year. We would also like to thank our season ticket holders, partners, and sponsors, whose support allows the club to grow and be competitive. We would especially like to thank the club's supporters, whose loyalty and passion make Racing what it is.

"You are the ones who create the atmosphere that makes this stadium so unique. While we have heard from all of you who fully support the project and have expressed your gratitude and support, we also respect that football is a source of passion and debate, and that some fans will always have different opinions.

"However, we believe that it is when the entire stadium supports the team, from the first to the last minute, that the team is able to perform at its best. This support is crucial to ensure that the players remain fully focused on the success of the Bleu & Blanc.

"It is an honour for the club's ownership group to be part of French football and the greater Strasbourg community, a source of pride to be able to build on the club's history, and a privilege to share its future.

"Together with the community, the players, the entire staff, the President and his team, our partners, and, above all, the club's fantastic supporters, we are building something that we are confident will make the entire Bleu & Blanc community proud for many generations to come.

"Our commitment to Racing, its ecosystem, and its community is unwavering and forever. Our belief in this project is immutable and permanent. As owners of the club, our ambition is for each of you to be proud of it.

"Racing is a club that inspires admiration and respect in France and throughout Europe, and our belief in our President, Marc Keller, could not be greater. To all those who have supported us and welcomed us, we are grateful and will not take your support for granted.

"We will continue to work hard to ensure that the club is a source of pride for us all. To those whose doubts persist despite the results - the investments in the stadium, the Academy, and the infrastructure, a Racing team that is competitive, united, successful, and competing in Europe - the club will always be happy to receive your support.

"The players need this support at all times, because we are all behind the same club and all hope for the same results. We're all part of the same team. Forever, GO RACING!"

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