The start of a rugby match in France was delayed on Sunday after a parachutist became tangled in the stadium roof just before kickoff. The parachutist was part of a pre-match ceremony, tasked with delivering the match ball to the field for the European Rugby Champions Cup game between Toulouse and Sale from England.
While other parachutists landed safely, one French army parachutist descended too quickly and got caught on the roof. As he dangled over the stands, stadium officials and Toulouse’s lion mascot rushed to prepare a makeshift crash mat using nearby inflatables.
Eventually, emergency services arrived and safely lowered the parachutist with a crane, receiving a warm round of applause from the crowd. He appeared uninjured and seemed to enjoy the enthusiastic reception.
The governing body of the Champions Cup thanked everyone involved in ensuring the parachutist’s safe return. The match resumed after a 40-minute delay, with Toulouse defeating Sale 38-15. Toulouse will now face RC Toulon in the quarterfinals.
Toulouse humorously acknowledged the incident on Instagram, joking, “We know seats are going fast but you’re forcing it here,” and expressed gratitude to the emergency services for their quick response.
