French third-tier side US Orléans have announced that Bernard Casoni has been suspended. The Frenchman is accused of having made racist remarks.
Speaking at a press conference, relayed by local media, following Orléans’ match against Châteauroux, Casoni said, “They aren’t more stupid than Maghrébins (a region of North Africa including Algeria, Lybia, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia).”
He defended himself by saying, “It was just to tell my players that they are as intelligent as Maghrébins. I worked there for six years, and you think I’m racist.” This remark is not an isolated incident, according to France Bleu, who relayed testimony from Orléans’ players.
“We were doing an exercise and two teams were playing five-on-five. My team was made out of only black players. Then, the coach says, ‘no bibs for them, they’re already black’. It shocked me,” an Orléans player tells France Bleu. The session in question reportedly took place in August.
Casoni replied to France Bleu, saying “It’s teasing. I am from the south. It’s football, it’s just teasing. Today, we can’t say anything anymore.” Casoni also reportedly asked for his team to consist of more white players, according to a former member of the Orléans dressing room. The manager responded, “I have never asked for more my team to be ‘whitened’. I just want for there to be a balance in the team. One community cannot be over-represented. If there are too many Creoles, it isn’t good, the same goes for if there are too many Africans or too many whites.”
Orléans president Philippe Boutron initially supported Casoni, accusing France Bleu of trying to “kill the club” and stating that “there is no racism in football.”
However, in a communiqué from Orléans, it has been revealed that Casoni has been suspended. He did not take charge of first-team training on Tuesday morning. The Public Prosecutor’s Department of Orléans has opened a preliminary inquest into the alleged racist remarks. The club itself has also launched an internal inquiry, it has been announced.
GFFN | Luke Entwistle
