Koscielny retires and refutes racism claims

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The 36-year-old was accused of ‘scandalous, generally racist’ by the French membership’s ultras

Ex-Arsenal and France star Laurent Koscielny has introduced his retirement and issued an announcement denying allegations of racist habits lodged towards him and a former teammate by Bordeaux’s ultras.

Koscielny – who made 353 appearances for the Gunners and as soon as captained them – spent the ultimate two months of his profession frozen out at Bordeaux. 

Alarmingly, their ultras group UB87 accused him and teammate Benoit Costil of “scandalous, generally racist habits”, and an absence of management because the membership plummeted to the underside of the Ligue 1 desk with simply 4 victories from 29 video games.

Koscielny stated in an announcement by his lawyer despatched to the Sud Ouest newspaper that he was “shocked, shocked but in addition saddened by the remarks made by one of many representatives of the Ultramarines 87 Group towards him, which the press is now echoing”. 

The 36-year-old’s correspondence talked about one other Sud Ouest article dated March 22 which was named: “Girondins de Bordeaux. Costil and Koscielny, accusations of racism that shake”, and stated that, “with out there being any ambiguity”, he “strongly disputes these accusations which have severely [damaged] him and which have repercussions on his household and people round him”.

Koscielny underlined “the investigative work of the Sud Ouest newspaper which solicited greater than thirty individuals (in line with the journalist’s statements) who formally denied the alleged racist habits” UB87 has accused him of.

“As a reminder, if Laurent Koscielny has not been a part of the skilled employees of the membership for the reason that finish of January 2022, he remembers that he’s nonetheless an worker of the Girondins de Bordeaux,” the assertion went on. 

“On this level, Laurent Koscielny intends to specify that he has determined to hold up his [boots] when he would have most well-liked to assist the membership on the [pitch]. Conscious that the membership was in issue, he accepted the proposal made to occupy a brand new [role] and to launch [his] wage [as] proof of the priority he has for the very best pursuits of the membership.”

“As such, he want to thank the membership for the mark of confidence proven in him by entrusting him with this place. This mission is the extension of a profession that has commanded the respect of all of his companions, coaches and employees that he has labored with each within the membership and within the France crew.

“Laurent Koscielny additionally shares the membership’s place, which recalled in its press launch that “no doc geared toward supporting these allegations has been delivered to the eye of the Membership, which in precept intends to train the best warning,” the assertion completed.

Tensions between the ultras and Koscielny and Costil reached boiling level following a 2-Zero defeat to Montpellier final Sunday.

Costil was booed all through the match by the group, whose chief Florian Brunet was stopped by stewards from attending to the goalkeeper at half time. In the course of the second half, cheers of “Costil, racist” have been heard and UB87 then launched an announcement the place it accused Costil and Koscielny of “scandalous, generally racist” habits.

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The accusations of racism are stated to return from two members of the membership, one in every of whom has been fired and one other who continues to be on its books, and Costil reportedly intends to press fees towards the ultras.

In an inside announcement, Bordeaux stated that the “insults” and “accusations” geared toward Costil are “with out proof”, and Koscielny’s retirement now seems to have been sped up by them. Koscielny joined Bordeaux in 2019 when he left Arsenal and made 65 appearances for Les Girondins.