The head coach of Ligue 1 side Angers has resigned after defending a player on a sexual assault charge by claiming: “It’s not nasty - we’ve all touched girls before.”
Abdel Bouhazama made the claim to his team in the dressing room before losing 5-0 to Montpellier on Sunday to justify his selection of left-back IIyes Chetti. The Algerian has been charged with the sexual assault of a woman in an Angers nightclub during the World Cup break.
L’Equipe reported that Bouhazama had made the remarks after a leak from a shocked player. Bouhazama admitted the remarks - which he claimed had been intended to boost the morale of Ilyes - but told the French sports daily: “I also say that what was done by the player is not good,. But I also say that we all made mistakes and done stupid things. Who has not made a mistake like Ilyes? That’s it.
