PSG conclude racial profiling probe

French giants clarify they found "no proven case of discrimination" after in-house investigation

French investigative website Mediapart stated Paris Saint-Germain’s talent scouts operated a system of racial profiling for years which proved to be not true. PHOTO: AFP

PARIS:
Paris Saint-Germain announced on Thursday they had found "no proven case of discrimination" after an internal inquiry into accusations that players were subject to racial profiling by club recruiters.

The in-house investigation was launched in response to revelations last week by French investigative website Mediapart that club talent scouts operated a system of racial profiling for years.

The French champions released the findings of their probe after talks with French Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu.

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Mediapart, citing the latest series of Football Leaks documents, said that between 2013 and this year, PSG's scouting department filled in recruitment forms on potential youth signings that included a section on ethnicity.


The section offered four options: French, West Indian, North African, African.

Documenting information on racial or ethnic origins is illegal in France.

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Thursday's statement from PSG said the investigation "confirmed the introduction of forms with a section on ethnicity between 2013-2017.

"These forms were the personal initiative of the head of the Province (scouting) department."

The statement concluded: "Despite their existence, there was no process of discrimination at the level of scouting, evaluating or recruiting of young players."
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