Prosecutors reopen investigation into PSG for alleged discrimination in recruitment – Football

Photo: The Canadian Press

Paris prosecutors are investigating allegations of discrimination by Paris Saint-Germain several years ago, following a complaint that the club’s recruiters illegally profiled potential recruits based on their origins.

Prosecutors told The Associated Press that the investigation was reopened in May. The case is linked to events that occurred several years ago and was the subject of a first investigation closed in August 2022.

The office said it had received a new complaint “for discrimination based on origin and computerized storage of data revealing racial or ethnic origin.”

French law prohibits the collection of personal data revealing the racial or ethnic origin of individuals.

PSG previously admitted that forms with illegal content were used between 2013 and 2018. But it took no responsibility for implementing the policy after news site Mediapart reported that PSG had asked recruiters to mention the origin of possible recruits according to four categories: “French” (French), “Maghrebin” (Maghrebi), “West Indian”. (West Indian) and “Black Africa” (Black African).

The previous investigation was opened following a complaint by the French Human Rights League after PSG said an internal investigation had found “no proven cases of discrimination”.

The French Football Federation’s ethics council also looked into the matter and the league’s disciplinary commission subsequently fined PSG 100,000 euros ($109,000).

The League also imposed a suspended fine of 10,000 euros on the former director of the PSG training center, Bertrand Reuzeau. Marc Westerloppe and Pierre Reynaud, in charge of recruiting PSG, received suspended fines of 5,000 euros.

Mediapart and French show “Envoyé Spécial” said a young black player was overlooked by PSG because of his color. Following an investigation based on the “Football Leaks” documents, Mediapart reported that midfielder Yann Gboho, 17, who plays for the French under-18 team, was ignored by PSG while he was 13 years old and the club management decided to hide “those”. involved in the scandal.

In another case of racism in 2011, the country’s football scene was rocked by Mediapart’s revelations that then-national coach Laurent Blanc and others had discussed informal quotas limiting the participation of young black and Arab players in the national team.

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AP Football: https://apnews.com/apf-soccer