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The exit of Paris Saint Germain coach Christophe Galtier who proposed that his team make their next trips by “sand yacht”, rather than by plane as they did this weekend to get to Nantes, reacted on Monday in the midst of a controversy over private jets and their impact on the climate.
Paris Saint-Germain coach Christophe Galtier has suggested that his team make their next trips by “sand yacht”, rather than by plane as they did this weekend to get to Nantes. His irony reacted Monday, September 5 in the midst of a controversy over private jets and their impact on the climate.
On the eve of the most important match since his arrival this summer at the head of PSG, against Juventus Turin, in the Champions League, Galtier was summoned to explain the choice of the Parisian club to make the round trip Paris-Nantes by plane. “This morning, we discussed with the company with which we travel to find out if we could not travel by sand yacht,” he said with a smile.
The question provoked disbelief, then laughter from star striker Kylian Mbappé, seated alongside Galtier. The Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, immediately reacted to this statement by challenging the PSG coach on social networks: “Mr. Galtier, you have accustomed us to more relevant and more responsible answers – are we talking about it? @PSG_inside @CBaune #Sobriety #Mbappe #Galtier #psg #TGV”, she tweeted.
It was then the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, who criticized the words of the coach of the reigning French champions. “No, but it’s not okay to answer stuff like this???? We wake up guys ??? Here it is Paris @PSG_inside @PierreRabadan @egregoire @David_Belliard”, wrote on his Twitter account the mayor of Paris.
“I re-re-renew our TGV offer proposal”
PSG was scolded on Sunday by the director of TGV-Intercités, Alain Krakovitch, for having used the plane rather than the train to get to Nantes on behalf of the 6e day of Ligue 1 (3-0), Saturday, explaining that the SNCF proposed an offer adapted to the needs of the club. “Paris-Nantes is in less than two hours by TGV, I re-re-renew our proposal for a TGV offer adapted to your specific needs, for our common interests: safety, speed, services and eco-mobility”, he said. He suggests in a tweet in reaction to a video of Italian midfielder Marco Verratti on the PSG plane posted on social networks.
Paris-Nantes is less than 2 hours by @TGVINOUI. @PSG_insideI re-re-renew our offer proposal #TGV adapted to your specific needs, for our common interests: security, speed, services and eco mobility ???? ???? https://t.co/FJCW6M7Mwe
— Alain Krakovitch (@alainkrakovitch) September 4, 2022
The boss of the TGV has thus made his contribution to the debate on the use of the plane, and in particular that of private jets which has recently raged within the French political class. Some on the left and among environmentalists strongly wish to frame it because of the carbon impact of such a mode of transport.
On Friday, the anti-globalization association Attac pointed to the attitude of PSG player Lionel Messi, whose private jet has made 52 flights since June, “i.e. 1,502 tonnes of CO2“. “It’s as much as a Frenchman in a hundred and fifty years”, underlined the organization, also calling for regulating the use of private jets.
>> To read also: The Champions League, the real test of Christophe Galtier
Terribly polluting, the private jets used in particular by billionaires and celebrities have been the subject of controversy for several weeks, with environmental activists calling for their supervision or even their ban.
With AFP