“I do not accept that we can say that Christophe Galtier is a racist,” defended this Sunday on Canal+ the former PSG coach, who will be tried in December on charges of moral harassment and discriminatory remarks when he coached Nice. “It’s false, arch-false, people in football know me,” said Christophe Galtier for his first interview since his ouster from Paris SG at the beginning of July.
“I am not accused of racism, the prosecutor is referring me to court for two offenses, the first for moral harassment of certain players, the second for discrimination against certain players, it is totally different,” continued the coach.
The affair broke out after the revelation by independent journalist Romain Molina, then RMC radio, of an email, which AFP was unable to authenticate, addressed to the management of the Nice club by former sports director Julien Fournier , with whom Galtier had execrable relations.
“My players managed Ramadan as they wanted”
Fournier reported these comments attributed to the coach: “‘He then replied to me that I had to take into account the reality of the city and that in fact, we could not have so many blacks and Muslims in the team” ” ; “He told me of his desire to fundamentally change the team, also specifying that he wanted to limit the number of Muslim players as much as possible.”
How to explain it? “I know, but I’m going to explain it in December, that’s for sure,” replied Galtier. During Ramadan, as a coach I have only one obsession: the health of the players, the performance of my team. My players handled Ramadan the way they wanted, and they all played.”
He will be tried on December 15 before the Nice criminal court for offenses punishable by three years in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros.