Nice have suspended “until further notice” footballer Youssef Atal, who is the subject of an investigation for “apologies for terrorism”, following a publication linked to the conflict between Israel and the Islamist movement Hamas, the French club said on Wednesday.
Although the Algerian international quickly deleted the post and apologized, the club clarified in a statement that it had decided to “immediately accept” sanctions ahead of those that might be taken by sporting or judicial authorities.
The video in question is a video posted on Saturday by Yousef Atal in which a Palestinian cleric prays to God to send a “black day for the Jews” and advocates that the “hand” of the Gaza Strip residents successfully “throw stones” in Israel.
The reaction of refusal was widespread and came from different quarters: from the French Football Federation to deputies and the mayor of Nice, as well as from the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France (Crif), which lodged a complaint with the authorities.
“We would like to emphasize that the reputation and unity of Nice are the result of the behavior of all its employees, which must be consistent with the values defended by the institution,” the club explained.
Nice, second in the French football league and one point behind leaders Monaco, also reiterates “its strong commitment to ensuring that peace prevails over all other considerations.”
Defender Youssef Atal, who has been playing for the Algerian national team since October 9, was summoned to Nice for a meeting with the team management.