Algeria international Youcef Atal was suspended by Nice on Wednesday for a social media post about the Israel-Hamas conflict, the Ligue 1 club said on Wednesday.
Defender Atal, who has been at Nice since 2018, has since deleted the post. He had been on international duty with Algeria and was summoned to speak with the club as soon as he returned.
Hamas fighters killed 1,300 Israelis on Oct. 7 in the deadliest Palestinian militant attack in Israel’s history, while Israel responded with intensive air strikes that have killed more than 2,800 Palestinians.
“OGC Nice understands that the player acknowledged his mistake by quickly removing the sharing of the publication and offered his written and public apologies,” Nice said in a statement.
“Nevertheless, given the nature of the shared publication and its seriousness, the club took the decision to immediately take the first disciplinary sanctions against the player, prior to those that could be decided by the sports and judicial authorities.
“As such, the club has decided to suspend Youcef Atal until further notice.”
The Algerian had earlier apologized for the deleted post.
“I am aware that my post shocked many people, which wasn’t my intention, and I apologize,” 27-year-old Atal said on Instagram on Sunday.
“I want to clarify my point of view without any ambiguity: I strongly denounce all forms of violence, wherever in the world, and I support all victims.”
Nice are second in Ligue 1, one point behind AS Monaco. They host sixth-placed Olympique de Marseille on Saturday. (Reporting by Trevor Stynes; Editing by Ken Ferris)
Algerian Atal suspended by Nice for Israel-Hamas conflict post
https://arab.news/7jux5
Algerian Atal suspended by Nice for Israel-Hamas conflict post
- Defender Atal, who has been at Nice since 2018, has since deleted the post
- He had been on international duty with Algeria and was summoned to speak with the club as soon as he returned
US invests in counter-drone tech to protect FIFA World Cup venues
The US will invest $115 million in counter-drone measures to bolster security around the FIFA World Cup and America’s 250th Anniversary celebrations, the Department of Homeland Security said on Monday, the latest sign of governments stepping up drone defenses.
The FIFA World Cup will be a major test of President Donald Trump’s pledge to keep the US secure, with over a million travelers expected to visit for the tournament and billions more watching matches from overseas.
The threat of drone attacks has become a growing concern since the war in Ukraine has demonstrated their lethal capabilities. And recent drone incidents have worried both European and US airports.
“We are entering a new era to defend our air superiority to protect our borders and the interior of the United States,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. Defense companies are developing a range of technologies aimed at countering drones, including tracking software, lasers, microwaves and autonomous machine guns.
The DHS did not specify which technologies it would deploy to World Cup venues. The announcement comes weeks after the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which sits under DHS, said it granted $250 million to 11 states hosting World Cup matches to buy counter-drone technologies.
Last summer, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, called on Trump, a Republican, to bolster federal support for defending against drone attacks.
