In May of this year, Christophe Galtier was the coach for Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé and together they celebrated a Ligue 1 championship win with Paris Saint-Germain. However, on December 15th, Galtier will face trial in a French court for charges of race and religious discrimination that allegedly occurred during his time as manager of Nice from June 2021 to July 2022. Galtier has denied these charges.
This pertains to actual criminal justice, not a watered-down version like in football. If proven guilty, Galtier could potentially be sentenced to three years in jail. The consequences are incredibly significant in other aspects as well, as this trial is expected to bring about a moral dilemma for French football and the country itself, during a time of intense political division.
The recently published report in L’Équipe reveals shocking allegations that will be presented in court. Galtier is being accused of intentionally discriminating against black and Muslim soccer players, and of pressuring them to not observe fasting during Ramadan or face consequences of being benched.
Information available to the public shows that he expressed to his assistant Frédéric Gioria, “I do not want another Muslim, we have had enough,” following the signing of Billal Brahimi; referring to Nice center-backs Harold Moukoudi and Mickaël Nadé as “two King Kongs”; and informing the club’s sporting director, “Julien, you have yet to understand. I do not want any more individuals of African or Arab descent.”
Galtier refutes all of these claims and plans to provide several witnesses who can attest to his good character in court. He is presumed innocent until proven otherwise and there is a possibility that he will be cleared of all accusations.
However, there is a more extensive aspect mentioned in the specifics, regardless of the result. This pertains to Ineos and its sports director, Sir Dave Brailsford, who has been heavily rumored to be a key player in the new management at Manchester United if the anticipated new investment ultimately materializes.
At this point it is worth restating the timeline in Galtier’s fall from grace. Nice are of course an Ineos-owned club. Galtier was appointed manager in June 2021 after a meeting with Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and installed to work under Brailsford’s arm’s-length direction.
In May 2022, the director of sports for Nice, Julien Fournier, emailed Brailsford outlining instances of Galtier’s purported racist and discriminatory actions. Fournier has clarified that he did so to prevent any potential accusations of concealing criminal behavior in the future.
There were no visible alterations. In July 2022, Galtier voluntarily departed from Nice to join PSG. The situation only became known in April 2023 when the email sent to Brailsford was revealed to the press.
The incident quickly sparked a nationwide controversy, prompting the public prosecutor in Nice to launch a criminal investigation.
In June 2023, Galtier faced accusations of engaging in moral harassment and discrimination related to race and religion. In July 2023, he departed PSG and became the manager for Al-Duhail in the Qatari league, where he remains.
When the Guardian reached out, both Brailsford and Ineos declined to provide any statement regarding the situation with Galtier and Nice due to ongoing legal proceedings. A representative mentioned that Ineos had previously stated that the email to Brailsford was “escalated” and that proper workplace procedures were followed.
It is challenging to comprehend the potential outcomes of these procedures from an external standpoint. It is evident that, had the email to Brailsford not been disclosed, accusations that resulted in a legal proceeding would have remained unknown beyond the organization. Ineos and Nice permitted Galtier to depart with his good standing intact.
According to L’Équipe, the current situation has been deemed “embarrassing” for both Ineos and Nice. However, the true magnitude of this issue will only be revealed as the trial continues.
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Manchester United has declined to provide a comment, stating that it would not be appropriate to discuss Ineos’ potential investment while it remains uncertain. However, for United fans who are still reeling from the departure of a chief executive who mishandled the Mason Greenwood situation, the situation involving Galtier raises concerns about the competency of Ineos and Brailsford and their ability to manage a large public sports institution.
Why did Nice and Ineos fail to address the accusations of racism made by their manager, resulting in no public response? Did Brailsford not report these allegations to the authorities? Was any of this disclosed in Brailsford’s reviews of the club’s coaching? Why was it only through the email leak and police involvement that the severity of the situation became evident?
The allegations required some form of escalation. According to his assistant manager, Galtier is accused of making derogatory comments about Algerian players Youcef Atal and Hicham Boudaoui, referring to them as “dirty guys” and stating that “the worst are the Algerians”. Galtier denies making these statements.
Based on L’Équipe’s report, Galtier is being accused of creating a list of players to be transferred from the club, mostly consisting of Muslim players. He is also accused of pressuring Jean-Clair Todibo to break his fast during Ramadan and labeling another player as a Salafist and extremist. Furthermore, he allegedly drove academy coach Didier Digard to consider resigning by expressing concern that Digard’s religion may influence young players.
Galtier stated in his defense that he kept his office open to accommodate those who wanted to pray, and also allowed Muslim employees to leave early for Friday prayers if they desired. His lawyers released a statement in L’Équipe this week, stating that Galtier is fully prepared for the upcoming hearing and will present his arguments in court. He is eagerly anticipating the public and fair discussion where he will prove that he has never engaged in discrimination or harassment. His unblemished professional record and reputation attest to his impeccable character.
In the near future, France will prepare for Galtier’s court case. However, there are still numerous unresolved questions. Why did PSG publicly bid farewell to Galtier and praise his professionalism and dedication, even though their manager was already facing charges? How was he quickly hired by a Qatar club whose president is a government official and part of the royal family?
In simpler terms, what implications does this have for Ineos, Brailsford, and Manchester United? It is not implied that Ineos had prior knowledge before hiring Galtier, but regardless of the outcome of the trial, United’s new football operations arm employed and kept a coach who is now facing criminal charges for his alleged actions while under Ineos’s supervision. Does this demonstrate a high level of attention to detail and competence needed to overhaul a period of aimlessness?
The Glazer family has faced a recurring issue of hiring underqualified individuals, which they hoped the appointment of a vice president from Ineos would resolve. However, based on recent events on the Côte d’Azur, it is difficult to find convincing proof of improvement in their hiring practices.
Source: theguardian.com
