Christophe Galtier appeared in Nice court this Friday and here’s why.
Having worked at Saint-Étienne and PSG, the former coach of the Aiglons allegedly made racially charged remarks against his black and Muslim players while he was with the Gym.
He has denied the allegations, claiming his words were taken out of context. After 9 hours of hearings, including the presentation of facts, testimonies, and the defense’s plea, prosecutor Damien Martinelli made his requisitory: 12 months of suspended prison, 45,000 euros fine (the maximum possible), and three years of ineligibility for any election against Christophe Galtier.
The Instigator
The revelation of an email written by Julien Fournier, the former director of football at OGCN, dated May 23, 2022, expressing his concern over discriminatory behavior by the coach, triggered the opening of an investigation by the Nice prosecutor’s office, a search, and several hearings.
In this email sent to the representative of the club’s shareholder Ineos, Fournier recounted a meeting with Galtier during which he allegedly explained that he “could not have so many black and Muslim players” in the team and that it was necessary to “limit the number of players as much as possible.”
“That’s false”
Christophe Galtier
The Marseille native, who now works in Qatar, has consistently denied these statements, something he continued to do with great firmness during the hearing. “That’s false”, “That’s distorted”, he repeatedly claimed in response to the reading of the 75 minutes by the president (still ongoing). None of the 17 victims, including French internationals Jean-Clair Todibo and Képhren Thuram, are present at the hearing, which is expected to last all day.
