He shared a video calling for a “black day” for Jews. Suspended by his club, Algerian defender of OGC Nice Youcef Atal is on trial this Monday for provoking hatred before the Nice criminal court. A few days after the attacks perpetrated by Hamas on October 7 and the first bombings by Israel on Gaza, the player sparked a lively controversy by publishing in a story, on his Instagram account followed by 3.2 million people, a sequence of the preacher Mahmoud Al Hasanat.
The latter, moved to tears, begins by discussing the fate of the children of Gaza. Then, in a final extract, he calls on God to send “a dark day on the Jews” and to “accompany the hand” of the inhabitants of Gaza if they “throw the stone”, according to the prosecution.
Under judicial supervision
The 27-year-old player, cited Friday as a witness during the trial of his ex-coach Christophe Galtier for harassment and discrimination, mainly against Muslim players at OGC Nice, will this time be on the dock, from 1:30 p.m., at the Nice Criminal Court. On the civil side, Licra (International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism) and the Jewish Observatory of France.
Pending this trial – for which he faces up to one year of imprisonment and a fine of 45,000 euros, Atal was placed under judicial supervision with a bail of 80,000 euros and a ban on leaving the national territory, except for reasons linked to his activity as a professional footballer.
Several political leaders denounced the video immediately after its publication, which the player quickly deleted with an apology. But, contacted by the prefect and the mayor of Nice, the public prosecutor Damien Martinelli opened a preliminary investigation on October 16. Initially, it also targeted the leader of the apology for terrorism. But, after examining the video and following a hearing with the player, placed in police custody on November 23 and 24, the courts ultimately only found incitement to hatred on grounds of religion.
The club could take advantage of the transfer window to get rid of them
The management of the Nice club, “taking into account the nature of the shared publication and its seriousness”, suspended its player from the start of the affair and “until further notice”. The disciplinary committee of the Professional Football League then formalized the sanction by imposing a seven-match suspension on Youcef Atal, which will end after the reception of Lens on Wednesday during the 17th day of Ligue 1.
Theoretically, the player could therefore find the Nice jersey on January 6 for the Coupe de France match against Auxerre. But the club seems to want to take advantage of the winter transfer window to get rid of this new thorn in its side and Turkish clubs would be interested.
Several of Youcef Atal’s teammates in the Algerian selection gave him their support, recalling his apologies and ensuring that he had not watched the video until the end before replaying it.