Galtier case: Julien Fournier was heard by the courts

2023-05-22 16:14:41

Julien Fournier, the former football director of OGC Nice, presented his version of the facts to justice in the context of the Galtier case relating to suspicions of racism targeting the former coach of the Aiglons. Several Nice players and leaders such as club president Jean-Pierre Rivère, as well as current coach Didier Digard, were also heard by the investigators.

“I was heard a few days ago, I don’t want to comment,” he told AFP.

For his part Christophe Galtier, current coach of Paris Saint-Germain, has not yet been heard by the courts, according to a source familiar with the matter on Monday. The current Paris Saint-Germain coach is suspected of having made discriminatory, racist and Islamophobic remarks during his year at the head of OGC Nice (2021-2022).

“I am deeply shocked by the comments that I am given, relayed by some in an irresponsible way”, he had reacted in a press conference after the outbreak of the case, in mid-April.

An execrable relationship between Galtier and Fournier

In an e-mail addressed to the management of the Nice club revealed by the independent journalist Romain Molina then RMC, Julien Fournier, with whom Christophe Galtier had an execrable relationship, notably reported these remarks attributed to the latter: “He then answered that I had to take into account the reality of the city and that indeed, we could not have so many blacks and Muslims in the team” and “He told me of his desire to change in depth the team, also specifying that he wanted to limit the number of Muslim players as much as possible”.

A preliminary investigation was opened by the Nice prosecutor’s office for suspicions of “discrimination based on an alleged race or belonging to a religion” and searches were carried out at the headquarters of OGC Nice.

The case arose in the context of Ramadan, a period during which Muslims are called upon to observe a period of fasting. Some Muslim players have asked for matches to be adjusted, while clubs are demanding maximum competitiveness from their players.