Youcef Atal sentenced by the French justice. The defender of the Algerian national team receives this bad news a few days before the 2023 AFCON.
The Algerian defender for OGC Nice shared a video calling for “a black day on the Jews” a few days after the Hamas attacks on October 7 and the Israeli retaliation that followed.
The verdict was delivered on December 18 at the Nice Criminal Court, where Youcef Atal was tried for disseminating the controversial video on social media. Accused of incitement to religious hatred, the prosecution had requested ten months of suspended prison. Ultimately, the court sentenced him to eight months of suspended prison and a fine of 45,000 euros. The player has ten days to appeal.
Youcef Atal sentenced to 8 months suspended prison
Despite being selected by Algerian coach Djemal Belmadi for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast starting on January 13, the OGC Nice defender was not present during the deliberation. Youcef Atal has been suspended for two months, with a seven-match suspension from the Professional Football League and a “until further notice” suspension from his club.
On October 12, Youcef Atal had shared a video of a preacher, Mahmoud Al Hasanat, calling for a “black day on the Jews.” This action led to the mentioned sanctions. The video was deleted by the player the next day, accompanied by an apology message. During the trial, Youcef Atal claimed to have wanted to convey a “message of peace” and not to have watched the video until the end.
Deputy prosecutor Meggi Choutia stated during the indictment that “these are serious facts that should not be trivialized.” She emphasized that sharing a video is equivalent to endorsing the statements and giving them visibility, adding that in 35 seconds, there was no mention of peace at any point. Despite Youcef Atal’s defense, asserting not to be antisemitic and not to harbor hatred towards anyone, this argument did not convince the judges.
This conviction of Youcef Atal could be a real moral blow for the player. A situation that might impact his performances in the national team. Algeria surely doesn’t need this, especially after the recent announcement of Amine Gouiri’s withdrawal.
Youcef Atal convicted, Gouiri out… Algeria in turmoil
The Stade Rennais player was expected to lead the attack for the Greens, but unfortunately, he will not be able to participate in the tournament. The Algerian Football Federation (FAF) officially announced his withdrawal this Monday. FAF specified that the decision to release Amine Gouiri was made in consultation between the national team’s technical staff and the medical staff due to an injury preventing his participation in the upcoming 2023 AFCON.
Following a thorough examination by the national team’s medical staff, in collaboration with his club’s medical records at Stade Rennais FC, it was decided to rest the player to allow him to recover properly. The national team delegation and the Algerian Football Federation expressed their wishes for a speedy recovery to the player. This withdrawal represents a setback for Algeria and for Amine Gouiri.
Despite the absence of the talented Algerian striker, the Fennecs’ squad retains its quality. As expected, Djamel Belmadi will field key players such as Riyad Mahrez, Youcef Atal, Islam Slimani, Baghdad Bounedjah, Ramy Bensebaini, Aissa Mandi, and especially Ismaël Bennacer, who, despite being injured for much of the season, is finally fit for this competition. Youcef Belaili will also be there. Despite uncertainties due to a recent injury, Houssem Aouar is present for his first participation in the Africa Cup of Nations with Algeria. On the offensive front, Djamel Belmadi has numerous options, including the presence of the Algerian football prodigy, Mohammed Amoura, who shines in Belgium.
Leave a Reply