M Chirac reacted with fury when supporters of Bastia, from Corsica, shouted down the French national anthem before their game against Lorient, from Brittany. The Bastia fans said that it was a demonstration in support of Corsican autonomy.

M Chirac returned to his seat after Claude Simonet, the chairman of the French Football Federation, had apologised for the incident over the public address system at the Stade de France on the outskirts of Paris.

However, he refused to go on the pitch for the traditional pre-match handshake with the players of both teams. Instead, he summoned a television football commentator, ordered the cameras and microphones to be turned on and made a short speech that was broadcast live by the TF1 channel. “A few irresponsible people thought it their duty to whistle at La Marseillaise,” he said. “This is unacceptable. I will not tolerate an attack on the values of the Republic.”

Although M Chirac’s anger was clearly genuine, his gesture was political. During the presidential election campaign, M Chirac’s camp had denounced a similar “outrage” involving second-generation immigrants who booed the French national anthem before a match between France and Algeria. His campaign team said that the incident was symptomatic of declining respect for the institutions and symbols of the State. Lionel Jospin, the Prime Minister at the time, who was at the game, remained silent during the booing.

On Saturday, when 20,000 Corsican supporters tried to drown out the Paris police band as it played La Marseillaise, M Chirac stood and waved his hand at an amazed M Simonet. “Je m’en vais (I’m going),” he said.

The teams, who had not been informed of the presidential outburst, waited in line to be presented to him with increasing bewilderment at his failure to arrive on the pitch. M Simonet read out a statement apologising on behalf of the football federation and exhorting fans to show respect for the anthem.

After half an hour of confusion, during which the players entered and left the dressing rooms twice, M Chirac was persuaded back into his seat and the match began. Lorient won 1-0 and M Chirac did eventually agree to present the cup.

The President’s gesture is likely to win support among an electorate that has broadly backed his call for greater discipline at all levels of society, from schools to the judicial authorities. On the campaign trail, he criticised M Jospin’s Government for failing to clamp down on crimes ranging from petty theft by juvenile offenders to the terrorism perpetrated by Corsican nationalists. His action on Saturday will be seen as underlining his determination to overhaul the previous Government’s policy of negotiations with Corsican leaders and a measure of autonomy for the island.

M Chirac says that he will refuse to give Corsica a status different to other French regions and will not talk to nationalist leaders until they cut all ties with the 30-year-old terrorist movement.