The Orléans football club, which plays in the National, the 3rd division, announced on Monday the opening of an internal investigation after its coach Bernard Casoni was accused by a media of having made racist remarks.
“US Orléans has taken note accusations reported by France Bleu with regard to Mr. Bernard Casoni,” indicates the Loiret club in a press release published on its website.
During a press conference, Casoni explained in particular that he had said in his days that they “are no more stupid than North Africans”, a phrase that he is accused of using very regularly. Several sources claim that he would have made the request to “whiten the workforce”.
“We can no longer say anything”
The former OM also acknowledges in response to France Bleu having said during training “No need for bibs for them, they are already black”, but assures that it was “chasuble”. “Today, we can no longer say anything,” he concludes, assuring that he is not racist, citing in particular his six years spent training in the Maghreb.
“In view of the seriousness of the facts cited, the club has decided to launch, without delay, an internal investigation,” adds the club, specifying that it “will not make any further comments on this situation before the result of this investigation.”
Bernard Casoni, 62, was named coach of US Orléans last June. As a player, he won the Champions League with Marseille in 1993 and was selected 30 times for the French football team.
Retrained as a coach, he notably brought Evian Thonon Gaillard up in quick succession from National to Ligue 2, then from Ligue 2 to Ligue 1 between 2010 and 2012. Orléans occupies 17th and penultimate place in the National rankings.