PSG Coach Christophe Galtier Gets Detained in a Racism Investigation
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) coach Christophe Galtier and his son have been detained for questioning as part of an investigation into allegations of bias.
The action is the result of an April investigation into claims that he made remarks about players while coaching OGC Nice in the 2021–2022 season that were both racist and Islamophobic.
Following a largely unsuccessful season in which the team suffered 10 losses and was eliminated from the Champions League in the last-16, Galtier is likely to be sacked by PSG.
The accusations of racism first arose in April after news organizations published a stolen email from Julien Fournier, the former Nice director of football, in which he accused Galtier of complaining that Nice’s team had “too many Black and Muslim players.”
According to Fournier, whose relationship with Galtier was tense, “He told me that I should take account of the reality of the city and that in effect we should not have as many blacks and Muslims in the team.”
“He said he wanted to fundamentally alter the team’s composition and cap the number of Muslims.”
After spending just one season together, Galtier and Fournier parted ways with Nice last year, with the former being signed by PSG.
In April, a PSG spokesman informed Al Jazeera that the club was not investigating the claims.
According to a club official, “The manager informed the club about the allegations and that he is taking legal action, and since this is a legal case at this time, we will not comment on it.” The official said that PSG has a “very strong stance against racism.”
Galtier stated in April that he was “stunned to learn of the insulting and defamatory” charge in a statement provided to French media by his attorney.
The statement read, “Galtier has asked his lawyer to begin the legal proceedings without delay given the seriousness of the allegations against him, and which he firmly denies. This is all the more vital given that, since this came out, he has been the target of intolerable threats and harassment.”
He brought a defamation claim on his own behalf against Fournier and the reporter who made the accusations.
