French sport to observe silence for Paris attacks victims

A minute's silence will be observed at football, rugby and basketball matches across France this weekend in honor of a terror attack's victims in Paris earlier Wednesday.

Before more tributes were set to take place over the weekend, silence of a minute had preceded a Ligue 1 game between Lille and Evian on Wednesday evening, when players of both teams wore black armbands and the French national anthem were sung spontaneously.

On Wednesday morning, at least 12 people were killed in a shooting at the office of satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, which French president Francois Hollande called "without doubt ... a terrorism attack".

"The entire family of French football joins the general spirit of solidarity and affirms its support for the families of the victims," said the French football association (FFF) in a statement released Thursday when France was in national mourning.

A minute's silence will be held in the weekend meetings of the 20th day of Ligue 1 and the 19th day of Ligue 2, according to the professional leagues' ruling body in France LFP.

Rugby governing body of the country, the French Rugby Federation, also called for a minute's silence before all their matches this weekend from "school tournaments to professional games".

The French Basketball Federation (FFBB) said it would also be paying tribute. "The values of our sport, and of sport in general, should contribute to the fight against all forms of barbarity and to preserve the national unity which we all need," it stated.

French Athletics Federation boss Bernard Amsalem called on French athletics "to express its solidarity with the victims and their families". Endite