on the edge of the town some posts threatened to damage the site and others spread a rumor that a mosque would be built therei had to explain again and again who these young men were and where they came from said mr decoster a member of a centrist party integration can be a long rocky processthe mayor says that efforts to help refugees settle at a local level and at the appropriate scale through initiatives like sports could help fight many preconceptions if more cities and countries favored such activities we wouldnt have the salvinis the orbans and the le pens he said referring to the interior minister of italy the prime minister of hungary and the french farright leaderimagecreditmauricio lima for the new york timesimagecreditmauricio lima for the new york timescomplaints about soccs seem to have tapered but mr decosters optimism has yet to be followed by a strong showing of local support for the team only a few dozen people attended the final many of them volunteers or acquaintances of the clubs managershours later when the victorious players honked horns and waved french flags as they circled the towns central plaza most of those sitting outdoors stared at them intrigued but unaware of what they were celebratingweve got prizes compliments and promises but many players wonder why after a second title there isnt more local enthusiasm said mr rochas the clubs vice presidentin 2017 the club received a european citizens prize awarded each year by the european parliament to citizens or organizations that promote crossborder cooperation and understanding but it still lacks the resources and volunteers it would need to play in frances national cricket league as its victories at the regional level qualify it to doperhaps even more critical is the need to attract local players some team members said so far a doctor living in stomer is the only frenchborn player out of 30we cant only play among foreigners we need new french recruits said tazim abbas a 19yearold player from pakistan otherwise who will keep the club running when i have a job and a life hereimagecreditmauricio lima for the new york times