(AP) French authorities detained Nice defender Youcef Atal and ordered him to stand trial next month on charges of inciting hatred after he shared an antisemitic message online, the regional prosecutor’s office said Friday.
Atal was suspended by the French soccer league for seven matches over the post last month, which came amid global tensions over the Israel-Hamas war. Nice also suspended him.
Nice authorities opened an investigation after Atal posted the message and detained him for questioning on Thursday, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement. Prosecutors ordered him to stand trial Dec. 18 on a charge of incitement to hatred for religious reasons, it said.
