Paris Saint-Germain coach Christophe Galtier arrested after accusations of racism
Coach Christophe Galtier - who is set to be replaced at PSG by Luis Enrique - and his son are in police custody in Nice.
The investigation has them under suspicion of racial discrimination, said Nice prosecutor Xavier Bonhomme.
A preliminary investigation was opened in mid-April on suspicion of 'discrimination based on an alleged race or affiliation to a religion' after allegations against Christophe Galtier when he sat on the Nice bench.
Arrested for discrimination in the 21-22 season
Galtier is suspected of making discriminatory, racist and Islamophobic comments during his year at the helm of the Côte d'Azur club (2021-2022). In an email addressed to the management of the Nice club, revealed by independent journalist Romain Molina later on RMC radio, the club's former sporting director Julien Fournier had in particular denounced these comments attributed to Galtier
"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" and "he told me of his desire to change the team in depth, while also specifying that he wanted to limit the number of Muslim players as much as possible".
"I am deeply shocked by the comments attributed to me, relayed by some in an irresponsible manner," Galtier had said in a press conference after the case broke in mid-April. And on the 21st of the same month, he had in turn filed a complaint for death threats and defamation against Fournier and two journalists.
Investigators also listened to several Nice players and managers such as club president Jean-Pierre Rivère and former coach Didier Digard. The Nice prosecutor said this morning that he would say more 'with a press release at the end of the day'.