Top footballer sentenced for making threats during street quarrel

Top Switzerland footballer Breel Embolo has been sentenced to a conditional fine for making multiple threats during an argument. The Basel Court of Appeal confirmed the judgement of the lower court in the case of the Rennes of France player, who was born in Cameroon but now plays for Swiss national team.

The court rejected the footballer’s appeal and upheld a conditional fine of 45 daily rates of CHF3,000 ($3,727) and a probationary period of two years for Embolo.

The case concerns an altercation in Basel in May 2018. In his reasons for the judgment, the court president relied on witness statements that described Embolo as the aggressor in this street altercation. He considered this to be a “more serious threat”.

The court also followed the lower court in the case of the professional athlete’s colleague. Embolo’s teammate, who had also lodged an appeal, received a conditional prison sentence of eight months for, among other things, simple assault. This is two months less than the sentence handed down by the lower court. He is accused of breaking a man’s nose with a punch during the fight.

Translated from German with DeepL/gw