European football teams have suspended Muslim players for posting pro-Palestine content, displaying an astoundingly bigoted stance.
Algerian footballer Youcef Atal has become the latest Muslim footballer to be reprimanded by a European football club after France’s Nice suspended him for reposting an allegedly anti-Jewish message on social media related to the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.
Less than two days prior, on Wednesday, local lawmakers submitted complaints prompting French prosecutors to open a preliminary inquiry into Atal on charges of “glorifying terrorism.”
“Given the nature of the publication shared [by Atal], and its seriousness, the club has taken the decision to take immediate disciplinary action against the player, prior to any action that may be taken by sporting and legal authorities,” the Ligue 1 club said in a statement.
“As such, the club has decided to suspend Youcef Atal until further notice.”
#OGCNice press release concerning Youcef Atal
➡️ https://t.co/c6E1yN2Zhv pic.twitter.com/3CFkBTTaJk
— OGC Nice ???????????????? (@ogcnice_eng) October 18, 2023
Atal is believed to have shared a video on Instagram featuring a Palestinian preacher who is allegedly inciting violence against Jews. Since then, he has erased the message.
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Following notification from local legislators, the Nice prosecutor’s office acknowledged in a statement that it was looking into Atal under rules pertaining to the “glorification of terrorism.”
The prosecutor’s office said Atal is also being investigated for “public incitement to hatred or violence because of a particular religion”.
Mainz 05 suspend Anwar El Ghazi. pic.twitter.com/44m5HjtBOn
— Mainz 05 English (@Mainz05en) October 17, 2023
Earlier on Sunday, the French Football Federation (FFF) said its ethics committee would investigate the player, with FFF chief Philippe Diallo denouncing the contents of the post.
Atal’s suspension comes a day after German club Mainz 05 suspended Dutch forward Anwar El Ghazi for a social media post about the conflict that the Bundesliga club felt was “unacceptable”.
“Mainz 05 respects that there are different perspectives on the complex Middle East conflict that has been going on for decades,” the club said in a statement posted on X on Tuesday.
