Title: Paris Saint-Germain Coach Christophe Galtier in Police Custody for Racism Investigation
Subtitle: Galtier’s future at PSG remains uncertain
Date: June 30, 2023
Paris Saint-Germain’s current coach, Christophe Galtier, has been taken into police custody alongside his son on Friday as part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of racism and discrimination during his tenure as coach of Nice, according to Xavier Bonhomme, the prosecutor of the city.
The investigation stems from the revelation of an alleged email, reportedly sent by the former sports director of Nice, Julien Fournier, which detailed Galtier’s supposed racist behavior during the 2021-2022 season. The leaked email prompted the Nice Judicial Police to launch a preliminary investigation into discrimination based on race or religion back in April.
Galtier, who recently guided PSG to victory in the French league, will not continue as the team’s coach, with the club expected to announce his dismissal before naming his replacement. Speculation points to Spanish coach Luis Enrique Martínez as the likely successor.
Upon learning of the allegations, Galtier vehemently denied the claims of racism attributed to him during a press conference in April, stating, “I am deeply shocked by the claims attributed to me and that have been irresponsibly reported.”
The emails referenced in Fournier’s communication cited Galtier’s alleged comments about certain black players on the team, allegations that the coach has consistently refuted.
The investigation into the matter will involve questioning several individuals affected by the alleged racial discrimination, potentially impacting the future career of Galtier. Despite winning the league title with PSG, the coach fell short of meeting the expectations set by the club’s Qatari owner, given the team’s star-studded roster featuring players such as Kylian Mbappé, Neymar, and the soon-to-be-departing Lionel Messi, who is poised to join MLS Inter Miami CF.
PSG’s elimination from the Champions League in the round of 16 against Bayern Munich served as the final blow to Galtier’s coaching tenure. The investigation’s outcome remains uncertain, but it has undoubtedly cast a shadow over the coach’s professional future.