Former Paris Saint-Germain Coach Christophe Galtier Cleared of Discrimination Charges
Former Paris Saint-Germain coach Christophe Galtier cleared of harassment and discrimination charges by a French court The allegations, brought forward during his tenure as coach of OGC Nice, have been dismissed, leading to his acquittal
Christophe Galtier, former coach of Nice and Paris Saint-Germain, was cleared of harassment and discrimination charges by a French court on Thursday. The allegations had emerged during his time as coach of OGC Nice, leading to legal action brought by the Nice prosecutor. "This verdict is a great relief," said Olivier Martin, one of Galtier's lawyers, in a statement to CNN.
"For the past few months, Christophe has been subjected to despicable accusations that have deeply affected him, his family, and those close to him, leading to significant consequences in his personal and professional life," he added.
French coach Christophe Galtier of Duhail observes the AFC Champions League Group E football match between Al-Duhail and Al-Nassr at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on November 7, 2023. (Image credit: Karim Jaafar/AFP/Getty Images)
Former Paris Saint-Germain coach Christophe Galtier's legal case brings attention to racism in French soccer. The public prosecutor sought a 12-month suspended prison sentence and a fine of up to 45,000 euros, BFMTV reported.
CNN has requested a comment from the prosecutor's office. In June, a press release from the prosecutor's office stated that they had initiated a preliminary investigation into Galtier and his son, John Valovic, after reports surfaced in April alleging that Galtier had made comments about there being too many Black and Muslim players on the team.
During his trial on Friday, December 15, Galtier spent several hours standing in the witness stand, where he listened to excerpts from police interviews with his former colleagues and players from OGC Nice, according to CNN affiliate BFMTV. Galtier had previously coached OGC Nice during the 2021-22 season before being appointed as the Paris Saint-Germain coach in July 2022.
