Comprendre les lieux recensés.

Auteurs indexés : Sébastien Quenot. Source : hal-05165694, version 1.

This communication explores the intersection of sport, politics, and identity in Corsica through the lens of supporterism surrounding the Sporting Club de Bastia (SCB). Historically, the Corsican language was the primary marker of Corsican identity until the late 20th century. However, the rise of hypermodernity, individualism, and the decline of traditional institutions have provoked a crisis of identity, intensifying the sense of Corsican belonging. In this context, football-and particularly the SCB-has emerged as a new arena for the articulation and negotiation of collective identity and political recognition. The global development of football as a cultural industry has transformed it into a powerful vector for the production and consumption of cultural goods, amplified by media coverage and emotional rituals. In Corsica, this has led to a displacement of identity struggles onto the football field, with the SCB serving as a symbolic and sacred institution within the Corsican imaginary. The club’s history-marked by sporting success, tragedy, and political controversy-reflects broader social and political dynamics on the island. This paper analyzes three key episodes that illustrate the sportification of the Corsican struggle for recognition: The Sacralization of May 5, 1992: The collective movement for the recognition of the Furiani disaster, which resulted in 18 deaths and over 2,500 injuries, exemplifies the demand for restorative justice and national acknowledgment. The campaign ultimately succeeded with the 2021 law suspending professional matches on the anniversary, demonstrating how football serves as a site for the negotiation of collective memory and justice. The "Bandera" Affair (2014): Following the ban on the Corsican flag at a match in Nice, a political and media controversy erupted, interpreted by many as an act of discrimination against Corsican identity. The incident mobilized supporters, players, and political actors, and reignited debates on minority representation and the legitimacy of national symbols in sporting contexts. The symbolic actions of SCB players and supporters, and the subsequent media coverage, highlight the role of football in the performative construction and contestation of collective identities. The Maxime Beux Case (2016): The injury of a Bastia supporter during a police intervention sparked widespread protests and raised questions about the treatment of Corsican supporters and the stigmatization of ultras. The prolonged legal process and political mobilization reflect broader issues of justice, deviance, and the quest for recognition within and beyond the sporting sphere. Through these cases, the paper interrogates the dynamics of reification, ressentiment, and recognition at play in Corsican supporterism. It argues that football matches have become arenas for the performative expression of belonging and the aspiration for national recognition, oscillating between victimhood, struggle, and empowerment. Yet, it also questions whether football’s ritualistic and media-driven nature truly enables collective recognition or if it risks reproducing illusions of unity and political agency. By examining the discourses and mobilizations around the SCB, this contribution sheds light on the complex entanglements between sport, media, and identity politics in contemporary Corsica, and more broadly, on the role of football in the (re)production of collective identities in minority contexts.