Youcef Atal: Nice suspend Algeria defender for alleged antisemitic social media post
- Published
Youcef Atal joined Nice in 2018 from Algerian club Paradou AC
Algeria defender Youcef Atal has been suspended by Nice after allegedly posting an antisemitic video on social media that related to the conflict in Israel and Gaza.
Atal, 27, has now deleted the Instagram post and apologised.
The Nice public prosecutor's office opened a preliminary investigation into Atal on charges "of defending terrorism".
Nice said they had suspended Atal "until further notice".
"The player has acknowledged his error by quickly withdrawing the sharing of the publication and has offered a public apology in writing," Nice said in a statement.
"Nevertheless, given the nature of the publication shared, 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."
Atal is also being investigated by the prosecutor's office for "public incitement to hatred or violence because of a particular religion", and by the French Football Federation (FFF) ethics council.
"Hate speech will not be allowed," said FFF president Philippe Diallo on Sunday.
"They are contrary to the ethics of our sport and the values that soccer relentlessly defends."
Capped 31 times by Algeria, Atal has featured six times for Nice in Ligue 1 this season.
Elsewhere, Netherlands winger Anwar El Ghazi has been suspended from training and games by his club side Mainz for a social media post about the Israel-Gaza conflict.