NICE, France: Christophe Galtier stood trial on Friday for accusations of racism during his time as coach of his former club Nice and said some of the comments he made during that period had been taken out of context or distorted.
If found guilty of psychological harassment and discrimination, the 57-year-old Galtier risks a maximum sentence of three years in jail and a fine of €45,000 ($49,000).
After the one-day trial in Nice, a ruling will come at a later date. Galtier denies accusations that he made racist and anti-Muslim comments when in charge of southern French club Nice from 2021-22, where he coached before taking charge of Paris Saint-Germain from 2022-23.
Earlier this year, several months into his job at PSG, RMC Sport and other French media published reports quoting a leaked email from former Nice director of football Julien Fournier to the club’s owners.