Racial Profiling Scandal Rocks French Football
A bombshell investigation has been reopened into allegations of historic discrimination by Paris Saint-Germain, one of France’s most prestigious football clubs. The probe centers around claims that the club’s scouts illegally profiled potential recruits based on their racial and ethnic origins.
A Pattern of Discrimination
The Paris prosecutor’s office received a new complaint in May, citing discrimination on the grounds of origin and the computerized storage of data revealing racial or ethnic origins. This is a clear violation of French law, which prohibits the collection of personal data that shows the racial or ethnic origins of individuals.
PSG’s Troubling Past
PSG has previously acknowledged that forms with illegal content were used from 2013-2018. However, they denied responsibility for implementing the policy, which categorized potential recruits into four groups: “Francais” (French), “Maghrebin” (North African), “Antillais” (West Indian), and “Afrique noire” (Black African).
A History of Cover-Ups
The previous investigation was sparked by a complaint from France’s League of Human Rights after PSG claimed an internal investigation found “no proven case of discrimination.” However, the French Football Federation ethics council and the league’s disciplinary commission saw it differently, fining PSG €100,000 ($109,000) and handing out suspended fines to several officials.
A Young Player’s Dreams Crushed
In a disturbing revelation, Mediapart and French TV program “Envoyé Special” reported that a young Black player was overlooked by PSG because of his color. The 17-year-old midfielder, Yann Gboho, who played for France Under-18s, was disregarded by PSG when he was just 13. The club management allegedly decided to cover up the scandal, implicating those involved.
A Deeper Problem in French Football
This scandal is not an isolated incident. In 2011, the country’s football scene was rocked by revelations that then-national coach Laurent Blanc and others discussed informal quotas limiting Black and Arab youth players’ involvement in the national squad. It seems that racial profiling is a deeper problem in French football, and it’s time for accountability.
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