This article contains adult content that may be inappropriate for minors. Please confirm that you are 18 years or older to continue. This article contains images or details that some readers may find disturbing. Reader discretion is advised. In the match against Metz, Lens abandoned their traditional Sang et Or (blood and gold, or maroon and gold) kit to wear a green and black jersey, marking the 120th anniversary of the Courrières mining disaster, the deadliest in European history. The match on Sunday, part of the 25th round of Ligue 1, was marked by a series of tributes to the 1,099 victims of the disaster that occurred on March 10, 1906. Before the kickoff at Stade Bollaert, there was a minute of silence and a choreography was displayed with a banner that read: "Courrières, March 1906: never forget the sacrifices of the mining basin." On the field, the team coached by Pierre Sage wore an alternative kit, whose colors have a special significance. According to the club, green and black represent the origins of Racing Club de Lens. "These colors, the first in the club's history, refer to Place Verte – the first historic playing field of Lens footballers – and to coal, a symbol of the region's mining past," the club explained on its official website. The initiative was not limited to the symbolism of the kit. The club announced that part of the jerseys used and signed by the players in the match against Metz will be auctioned. The funds raised through the Racing Coeur de Lens foundation will be donated to local associations that work on preserving heritage and maintaining the historical memory of the region.
Lens Remembers Emotional Tribute remains central to this story.
Lens Remembers Emotional Tribute remains central to this story.
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