Despite his success, Bixente Lizarazu, a former French international, faced extraordinary challenges, including threats from the Basque organization ETA in 2000.
In 2000, Bixente Lizarazu, French international and Bayern Munich full-back, received a threatening letter from ETA. The Basque separatist organization demanded a “revolutionary tax” from him in exchange for his protection. The letter, sent from Paris, was written in Basque and addressed to Lizarazu’s parents, living in Hendaye. She described him as a “fortunate traitor” and accused him of having defended the colors of France, “an enemy state”.
“You were paid a hundredfold to wear the jersey of an oppressive state with money stolen from the Basques and the Basque people. Taking into account the emoluments received from the enemy, ETA addresses you”, it is thus written. ETA threatened Lizarazu with reprisals if he did not pay. “We are asking you for financial help. (…) A non-response to our request would result in a response against You or against your property », thus wrote the Basque separatists. The player was therefore placed under police protection, both in France and in Germany.
“I took the secret entrances, reserved for heads of state”
The 98 world champion spoke about this difficult period in his autobiography. He says he went to Bayern Munich training in an armored sedan, with weapons at hand. “In Germany, I went to Bayern training in a camouflaged armored sedan with weapons at hand. I imagine myself in James Bond’s Aston Martin. This delirium, in which I am in the shoes of 007, takes away the gravity from this heavy ritual and allows me to endure it”he explained.
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The former Bordeaux resident also said that, in the Basque Country, his car was inspected every morning by the police. “In the Basque Country, every morning they inspected my car, they looked under it, they started it. In airports, I used the secret entrances, reserved for heads of state.”
