In a shocking turn of events, Christophe Galtier, the current coach for Paris Saint Germain, and his son, John Valovic-Galtier, a football agent, have been detained for interrogation in relation to allegations of discriminatory conduct, as reported by the Nice prosecutor today.
The allegations, which surfaced earlier in April, hinge on accusations that Galtier was racially and Islamophobic towards players during his tenure as the coach of Nice during the 2021/22 football season.
As investigations intensify, the prosecutor has promised to share additional details regarding the detentions in a subsequent statement.
Galtier’s career with Paris Saint Germain is on the line, with termination rumors abuzz following a disappointing season where PSG encountered 10 losses in 2023 and crashed out of the Champions League in the last 16.
These allegations were first brought to light by French media in April and are believed to have originated from an email allegedly sent by Julien Fournier, the former Sporting Director of Nice. However, these allegations could not be independently verified by AFP.
Fournier’s email is alleged to contain a revelation of Galtier’s desire to limit the number of Black and Muslim players in the Nice team, citing the “reality of the city.” The relationship between Fournier and Galtier is known to be contentious.
In a defensive response, Galtier expressed deep shock at these accusations, denying any discriminatory conduct. He has since filed a defamation lawsuit against both the journalist who first reported these claims and Fournier.
On May 22, Fournier admitted to AFP that he had been questioned as part of the judicial investigation, but refrained from offering any further details.
The probe has expanded to include several players and directors, including club president Jean-Pierre Rivere and former coach Didier Digard, who have also been summoned for questioning.
Fournier’s contentious email was reportedly sent to Dave Brailsford, the Director of Sport at Ineos and former head of British Cycling and Team Sky. Ineos currently owns Nice.
Both Galtier and Fournier ended their associations with Nice last year after a single season of collaboration, following which Galtier joined Paris Saint Germain.
