Ligue 1 Referee Abdelatif Kherradji Sentenced for Domestic Violence
Ligue 1 referee Abdelatif Kherradji was sentenced on Wednesday, August 19, to a six-month fully suspended prison sentence for domestic violence, according to reports detailed by outlets including Foot Mercato, L’Équipe, and Ouest-France. The verdict, delivered in the Gard region, includes mandatory enrollment in a domestic violence prevention program and a three-year restraining order prohibiting any contact with the victim.
Legal Fallout and Judicial Proceedings
The 40-year-old official, who has worked in the French top flight for two years, faced prosecution after an investigation into altercations involving his former partner. According to Ouest-France, the public prosecutor had initially requested an 18-month suspended prison sentence. The complainant accused Kherradji of grabbing her by the neck on March 13, before using physical force to prevent her from leaving their residence. Two months later, the altercations reportedly escalated when the referee allegedly grabbed her by the shoulder and slammed her against a wall, resulting in a three-day temporary work incapacity (ITT) rating for the victim.
Facing these charges during the judicial proceedings, Kherradji mounted a defense claiming that his former partner was the aggressor, stating she struck him with punches and kicks and that he only moved to protect himself without employing physical violence against her.
Following the court’s decision to hand down the six-month suspended term without a criminal record inscription, defense counsel Bruno Rebstock indicated that the legal team is weighing its options. “We are reserving the right to appeal within 10 days,” Rebstock stated, as reported by local media outlet Ici Gard Lozère and cited by Ouest-France. Rebstock added that the defense had originally pleaded for a full acquittal and viewed the final conviction on these terms as a disappointment.
Institutional and Operational Ramifications for Ligue 1 Officiating
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