Current Paris Saint-Germain coach Christophe Galtier “contests with the greatest firmness” having made discriminatory remarks towards players when he officiated in Nice, his lawyer reacted on Wednesday in a press release sent to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The French technician, who moved from Nice to PSG last summer, “learned with amazement of the insulting and defamatory remarks” reported by the former Nice manager Julien Fournier in an internal letter relayed Tuesday by several media, said Me Olivier Martin, announcing “legal proceedings” to come.
The independent journalist Romain Molina then the media RMC Sport reported the existence of an email written at the end of last season by the former director of OGC Nice, Julien Fournier, in which he reports remarks deemed discriminatory by Christophe Galtier towards part of the Nice locker room.
This message, which AFP could not authenticate, was sent by Julien Fournier to Dave Brailsford, sports director at Ineos, the petrochemical group that owns the Riviera club.
“Given the seriousness of the charges against him, which he disputes with the greatest firmness, Christophe Galtier immediately seized his lawyer, Maître Olivier Martin, to initiate, without delay, the necessary legal proceedings which are necessary, and this, especially since since this disclosure he has been the subject of intolerable threats and acts of harassment, ”the statement reads.
Asked, the PSG did not wish to react immediately. Julien Fournier, who left Nice in July 2022, claims for his part that he is not involved in the dissemination of the email in question, even if he does not seem to dispute its existence.
“I am currently in Brazil, far from this controversy in which I am associated at my expense. I am in no way behind the dissemination of this year-old internal information, when I left the club, “he said in a statement sent to AFP.
“The timing of these revelations revolts me as much as their content”, adds the former general manager then director of football of Nice, on the eve of the quarter-final first leg of the Europa League Conference between the Aiglons in Basel, Thursday in Switzerland.
