Ajaccio striker Mounaim El Idrissy has accused the Rodez defender of making racist remarks against him.
The day after the Ajaccio-Rodez match (2-1), Julien Célestine defends himself. “I am deeply shocked by the comments attributed to me and firmly deny having made them,” said the Ruthenian player in a post published on social networks on Sunday February 27.
The day before, he was accused by Corsican striker Mounaim El Idrissy of making racist remarks. “He called me a dirty Arab!”, The latter had complained to the referee of the match, during the first period. This led to an interruption of play but no penalty, with the referee not having any evidence.
The night after the match, El Idrissy posted a message on social media in which he stood by his accusations, but this time without naming a specific player.
Today on 02/26/2022 I received racist remarks in the middle of a match from a @rodezaveyronfootball player in @ ligue2bkt. I sincerely hope that sanctions will be applied. This should no longer exist!
Thank you all for your messages and support. ✊?✊?✊?✊?✊? pic.twitter.com/sEaOCzCF6z— Mounaïm El idrissy (@Elidrissy_Mouna) February 26, 2022
As for Julien Célestine, he received the support of his club, as well as of its president, Pierre-Olivier Murat, contacted by us. “I called Julien this morning, we talked for an hour, eye to eye. […] He told me several times that he didn’t say a racial slur, I believe him.”
“In addition, his partner is of Tunisian origin, it would be stupid for him to behave like this, added the leader. We are a multicultural club, we have no lessons to take from anyone. I do not need that the Disciplinary Committee is interested in the case, that’s the first thing I dealt with this morning. If he had admitted to having made such comments, he would have been sanctioned by the club.