French football club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has denied reports that it launched an investigation into manager Christophe Galtier’s alleged racist remarks during his time in charge at Nice last season.
The reports emerged after news outlets quoted a leaked email from Nice’s former director of football, Julien Fournier, in which he accused Galtier of saying that there were “too many Black and Muslim players” in the Nice squad.
Galtier has denied making the discriminatory remarks and said he would take legal action.
A PSG spokesperson told Al Jazeera on Thursday there is “no truth” to reports that the club is investigating the alleged remarks.
“The manager informed the club about the allegations and that he is taking legal action, and since this is a legal case now we will not comment on it,” the club’s official said, adding that PSG has a “very strong stance against racism”.
In a statement released by his lawyer to French media, Galtier, 56, said he was “stunned to learn of the insulting and defamatory” allegation.
“Given the seriousness of the accusations against him, and which he firmly denies, Christophe Galtier has asked his lawyer to begin without delay the judicial proceedings which are all the more necessary given that, since this came out, he has been the target of intolerable threats and harassment,” the statement said.
RMC Sport said Fournier, who was at odds with Galtier during his tenure at Nice, wrote to Ineos director of sports Dave Brailsford to let him know about the details of a conversation he had with the coach. Al Jazeera could not independently verify the message.
Ineos acquired the club in 2019.
Nice released a statement of their own to say: “This relates to two people no longer working for OGC Nice. This situation was dealt with very seriously at the time. The club will not make any further comment.”
Meanwhile, a prominent group of PSG supporters called for Galtier’s departure if it can be proven that he made the alleged remarks.
“The Ultras Paris Collective is closely following the Galtier case. If the facts he is accused of are proven, it is not acceptable that this person remains in the organizational chart of the club,” the group said in a statement.
“We recall that we have always taken a stand against all forms of discrimination.”
Turkish forward Burak Yılmaz, who played under Galtier at Lille when the team won the French league title in 2021, jumped to the defence of his former coach.
“I worked with Galtier and never felt any negative behaviour from him about my religion or nationality,” Yilmaz wrote on social media. “He is a great coach as well as a great person.”
Additional reporting by Hafsa Adil
