“I do not accept that people say that I am racist. » In mid-September, ex-trainer Christophe Galtier spoke in an interview with Canal + to repeat his line of defense. The one that has been his since the start of the affair in April 2023 and the revelation of the existence of an email sent to his management by Julien Fournier, the former football director of OGC Nice, accusing him for having complained about too many Arab and black players in the Riviera club when he occupied the bench during the 2021-2022 season.
Ten days before his trial for discrimination and moral harassment, The team reveals a version that is much more burdensome for the technician, who now works in Qatar, in Al-Duhail. Statements made by his former assistant within the Riviera club, Frédéric Gioria. The latter, like Julien Fournier, told the investigators in charge of the case that he had heard Galtier regret the too large number of black and Arab players in his squad.
“Another Muslim, I don’t want one”
Gioria also reports having surprised the one who was crowned with Lille in 2020-2021 getting angry during the recruitment of Angevin Billal Brahimi during the 2022 winter transfer window. “Another Muslim, I don’t want one, we have some enough,” Christophe Galtier would have said. “The worst are the Algerians”, according to his assistant, the coach would have declared, referring to Youcef Atal and Hicham Boudaoui, “dirty guys”.
Another member of the staff, Hachim Ali Mbaé, told investigators that he had a conversation with Christophe Galtier who assured him that he had never had any problems with the religion of his troops, except with the Algerians. “They are in the extreme,” the coach allegedly told him. The one who was a video analyst for OGC Nice also says he heard him describe his pair of defenders Mickaël Nadé and Harold Moukoudi, two players of color, as “King Kong” during a match against Saint-Étienne in September 2021.
Hachim Ali Mbaé also claims that the technician told him to refuse to recruit striker Islam Slimani because of his participation in the African Cup of Nations with Algeria in 2022, but also his future Ramadan fast from April 1 to May 1 of this year. Management of this sacred period for Islam highlighted by its defender Jean-Clair Todibo. The latter claims to have been pressured by his coach to break up his youth, just like Hicham Boudaoui and Teddy Boulhendi. Midfielder Pablo Rosario tells the police that he felt discriminated against, which would have caused his fast to be broken.
Galtier denies the accusations
The only written trace pointed out by the sports daily, an email sent by Galtier to Fournier. “Julien, Billal is added to the list of players who are doing Ramadan,” says the coach about his player. The player is not included in the group which faces Rennes on April 2. “I dare to hope that Billal did not come off the scoresheet because he did Ramadan,” Julien Fournier tells him. “I don’t have or have never had a problem linked to religion since I started coaching,” Galtier replied. Losc was champion with six Muslims in the team. I only think about the sporting performance and the health of the players. »
Christophe Galtier denies all of these accusations, just as he refutes having drawn up a list of players expected to leave which would only include Muslims, and his entourage maintains that Brahimi had playing time, Ramadan or not. “Christophe Galtier is determined 10 days before this hearing, underline his lawyers. He reserves his statements for the court. He is finally awaiting this public and contradictory debate where he will demonstrate that he has obviously never discriminated or harassed anyone. His entire professional career and his reputation bear witness to his impeccable personality. »
