Audio By Carbonatix
French champions PSG have confirmed that defender Serge Aurier has not been allowed into the United Kingdom as a result of his ongoing court case against the player.
He will not be part of their squad to face Arsenal a crucial Champions League match Tuesday.
The incident relates to a ruling in September that saw Aurier handed a two-month suspended jail sentence for elbowing a police officer after leaving a nightclub in the early hours of a night in May.
The defender has appealed the decision.
However, PSG have now released a statement through their website calling the decision "incomprehensible" adding that it "attacks the very integrity of the UEFA Champions League."
The statement in full read:
"After an initial application on 18 October, complete with all the necessary documents, the British authorities had originally granted Paris Saint-Germain’s Côte d’Ivoire international an entry visa to the UK on 21 October. However, on 16 November, his visa was finally revoked by the British Ministry of the Interior, who justified their about-face by citing Aurier’s conviction on 30 September, 2016. Paris Saint-Germain had, in all transparency, informed the British authorities of this conviction, as well as Aurier’s appeal against this decision (and the legal suspension of the ruling) from the outset.
"The club has argued several times that since the player has launched a legal appeal against the criminal ruling, he is therefore entitled to the presumption of innocence, as any other person exercising their right to appeal.
"Paris Saint-Germain strongly regrets that the presumption of innocence has not influenced Britain’s decision. On several occasions, UEFA has also transmitted its total support of Paris Saint-Germain to the British authorities regarding this case, in order to preserve the integrity of its competitions.
"The club also deplores that the final decision of the British authorities was only communicated at 14:00 CET on Tuesday, despite the club working for the last six days to find a solution to enable our player to travel with his teammates to London. Paris Saint-Germain considers this extremely tardive response as a flagrant lack of respect for the club, given that its player could have been training with the team just hours later at Emirates Stadium.
"In the face of this decision, albeit difficult to understand in respect to European law, Paris Saint-Germain, who had planned to travel to London with its strongest possible squad, invites its fans to be more united than ever, in support of their club.
Latest Stories
-
‘Jean Mensa and deputies must go’ – Fifi Kwetey says EC leadership has lost public trust
1 hour -
US accused of using illegal workers at centre processing refugee claims in South Africa
2 hours -
Trump announces ‘warrior dividend’ payments for troops
2 hours -
Billionaire Jared Isaacman, an Elon Musk ally, confirmed as NASA chief
2 hours -
Susan Boyle ‘incredibly touched’ by Timothée Chalamet’s praise
2 hours -
Indian scientists predict how bird flu could spread to humans
2 hours -
Childhood friends find ‘$55,000 diamond’ in India
2 hours -
Heavy rains worsen conditions for displaced Gazans, UN warns
3 hours -
Venezuela denounces Trump’s order for ship blockade as ‘warmongering threats’
3 hours -
BP names new boss as current CEO leaves after less than two years
3 hours -
Dan Bongino stepping down as FBI deputy director
3 hours -
Bedwetting: Seven‑year‑old burned; guardian faces charges
3 hours -
Macclesfield forward McLeod dies in car accident
5 hours -
Newcastle to face Man City in EFL Cup semi-finals
5 hours -
‘Don’t put the President on the spot’ – Fifi Kwetey rebukes Majority leadership over OSP Bill
5 hours
