A leading voice on security in France has called for fan zones planned in host cities for next summer's Euro 2016 to be scrapped if they cannot be fully paid for by organisers.
The tournament's organising committee released a statement on Thursday denying "categorically any decision relating to fan zones in host cities" after suggestions they would be abandoned in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris last week that left 129 dead and many more injured.
However, the National Committee of Private Security Activities (CNAPS), which is linked to France's Interior Ministry, responded by saying that it would be up to local organisers -- in this case the host cities themselves -- to cover security costs, otherwise there would be no fan zones.
"To reinforce the security conditions in stadiums and not disperse available resources, the CNAPS strongly recommends the abolition of fan zones if they cannot be paid for by the organisers with their own means," read a statement, according to L'Equipe and Le Parisien.
Fan zones have become fixtures at major sporting events in recent years and have been planned for the 10 Euro 2016 host cities, including Paris and its northern suburb Saint-Denis -- site of the Stade de France and of a huge battle on Wednesday between police and heavily armed terrorists linked to last week's atrocities.
Toulouse Mayor Jean-Luc Moudenc told Le Parisien he would be in favour of abandoning fan zones.
"It is a question that was already being asked before last Friday. The security problems were already difficult to overcome before the attacks of Nov. 13," he said.
Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve will host a meeting next Tuesday with, among others, the CNAPS, tournament organisers and the French Football Federation.
Meanwhile, former France international Bixente Lizarazu has told L'Equipe that it was the wrong decision for Les Bleus' friendly with England on Tuesday to go ahead.
"I had thought France's match on Tuesday in England was a good thing. But then afterwards I thought it had come too soon," said Lizarazu, who now works as a media pundit in France and was at the Stade de France last week when several bombs went off just outside the ground during the match against Germany.
"Not the tribute, which was a great moment of fraternity. But in fact the boys were not ready to play. I was not ready to commentate."