Paris Saint-Germain players will wear black armbands in their Champions League last 16, second leg, clash against Chelsea on Wednesday as a mark of respect for three of France's best-known athletes who were killed in a helicopter crash in Argentina.
Champion sailor Florence Arthaud, Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer Camille Muffat and Olympic boxer Alexis Vastine were among the 10 victims when two helicopters filming the survival series "Dropped" smashed into each other in the rugged mountains of La Rioja province, local officials said.
"The players of Paris Saint-Germain will wear a black armband in respect to the victims of this terrible catastrophe that has hit the world of French sport, in Argentina," read a club statement.
The accident triggered shock in France, where television footage showed the two helicopters flying extremely close to each other, then their rotors clipping and both aircraft plummeting to the ground.
The victims' bodies were burnt beyond recognition in the fiery crash, provincial security secretary Luis Cesar Angulo told AFP.
"I represent PSG and would like to express in the name of the club, our staff and the players our sincere condolences to the families of the ten victims," PSG coach Laurent Blanc said at a press conference on Tuesday.
"As you know, there were three great French athletes amongst the victims and today French sport is in mourning. It saddens me deeply and I will have a thought for them tomorrow. At the wishes of the club, we well wear black armbands on the left arm." he added.
The first leg match finished 1-1 in Paris.
Source: AFP