Youcef Atal, an Algerian international player for the French club OGC Nice, was fined €45,000 ($49,000) and given a suspended sentence after posting something on social media on the situation in Israel and Gaza.
In a statement that was able to get on Wednesday, the court declared that “Mr. Atal was found guilty and sentenced to an 8-month suspended prison sentence, a 45,000 euro fine.”
According to Reuters, a Nice judge declared that the repost incited hate based on religious beliefs.
The court ordered that the 27-year-old Atal pay for the publication of information about the conviction in the French publications Nice Matin and Le Monde.
According to Reuters, Nice-Matin, a French daily, Atal posted a 35-second video in which a Palestinian preacher called for God to cast “a black day over the Jews” the day after the Hamas attack on October 7.
Afterward, Defender Atal said on Instagram, “I am aware that my post shocked many people, which wasn’t my intention, and I apologize,” for the removed post, as reported by Reuters.
Travis Kelce: Reuniting with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in Vegas
The Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France, which Le Monde said had complained about the player in October, has been contacted by CNN for comment.
Atal was punished by OGC Nice, which is ranked second in Ligue 1, for reposting the video on social media.
The Ligue 1 team stated in October that Youcef Atal was “contacted by the directors of OGC Nice for a conversation as soon as he returned from Algeria national team duty, where he had been since 9 October.”
“OGC Nice is aware that the player has promptly withdrawn the publication’s distribution and issued a written public apology, recognizing his fault.
“However, in light of the severity of the shared publication, the club has decided to discipline the player immediately, even before any legal or sporting authorities have a chance to intervene.”
OGC Nice said in a statement, “As a result, the club has decided to suspend Youcef Atal until further notice.”
OGC Nice has been contacted by CNN seeking an explanation on Atal’s fine and suspended sentence.
According to a list released by the Confederation of African Football on Sunday, Algeria’s team for the next Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast includes defender Atal.
