March 07, (THEWILL) – Angers have announced that coach, Abdel Bouhazama, has left his position following his controversial comments ahead of the French club’s game against Montpellier.
Bouhazama’s remarks were seen as downplaying the seriousness of sexual assault after he justified Ilyes Chetti’s inclusion in the starting XI by telling his players, “It’s not that serious, we have all touched girls.” Chetti is facing charges of sexually assaulting a woman in a nightclub last year and will appear in court in April.
The Ligue 1 strugglers are currently at the bottom of the table, having taken only 10 points from 26 games this season. The team has failed to win a top-flight game since September and has lost 16 of their 18 games since then. Although the club stated that Bouhazama left due to poor results, his comments during the team talk have sparked controversy, leading to his resignation.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the club condemned the coach’s remarks and stated that they do not accept any form of discrimination. Bouhazama has apologized to his colleagues, especially the female ones, and decided to step down from his position as coach of the professional team.
THEWILL recalls that Bouhazama had taken charge of Angers in November last year and was given the job permanently during the World Cup break.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
