Watch idiot fan caused a massive accident at the Tour de France
It’s great to see fans surrounding the course at the Tour de France, but this spectator should have stayed home with their massive sign.
The COVID-19 global pandemic prevented spectators from watching sports in person for months on end. That was a negative in almost every instance, but a recent accident in this year’s Tour de France showed one potential benefit of fans being banned from in-person attendance.
A fan positioned just on the edge of the course made the poor decision to turn around with a large, horizontal sign to create a memorable photo op on Saturday. Instead of creating a sweet Instagram post, the sign clipped a rider and spawned a massive accident.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that the accident could alter the results of the race. Multiple riders were sent sprawling in the aftermath of the sign clipping one perimeter rider.
An idiotic fan caused a huge accident at the 2021 Tour de France
GREAT TO SEE SPECTATORS BACK INVOLVED IN SPORTS EH pic.twitter.com/Kwxj8be2Qh
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) June 26, 2021
In the end, this is just a shining example of why fans need to be more considerate of athlete safety when they are attending events in person. Fans are intended to augment the experience of live sports rather than involving themselves directly in the outcome.
There was no intention by this fan to disrupt the competitive nature of the Tour de France, but that’s clearly what’s happened on this occasion. The incident should serve as a sobering reminder to fans that they have an obligation to preserve athlete safety anytime they attend a sporting event.