PSG close investigation into player recruitment practices after finding no discrimination

Paris Saint-Germain have closed an investigation into player recruitment practices after finding no discrimination, the Ligue 1 club announced.

PSG acknowledged earlier this month that "forms with illegal contents" were used by a recruitment section of the club's academy.

A report by Mediapart and television programme 'Envoye Special', on the back of recently released Football Leaks documents, claimed scouts documented the ethnicity of potential academy signings.

It was reported PSG signed only one black player for their academy between 2013 and 2018, while a promising French player was allegedly not given a contract because of his race.

PSG have been investigating the allegations against the club and on Thursday released a statement confirming no discrimination has been found.

The club said a meeting had been hosted by general manager Jean-Claude Blanc and Malek Boutih, director of the Paris Saint-Germain Foundation, with French sports minister Roxana Maracineanu.

"They presented the conclusions to an internal investigation ordered by the board of the club and conducted by a law firm from October 12 to November 14 2018, as well as an action plan recently implemented because of the practices in detecting young players," said a statement released to the media.

"The inquest is based on the analysis of emails and a series of interviews led with the employees of the club in charge of recruitment for the Academy. The inquest has demonstrated that there is no proof for discrimination within the club."

PSG noted that while the ethnicity of potential recruits was documented by the club's academy, "there has been no discrimination" in the assessment and recruitment of young players.

Despite this, PSG said the club has introduced new measures in a bid to improve practices. An ethical code has been set up which all club employees will be expected to follow, while scouting department processes are due to be reviewed.

"PSG will reinforce its commitment alongside the associations in the matter of fighting racism and discrimination," the statement continued.

"The club is working with associations to co-construct corrective measure to make the club and its function an example to follow in terms of ethics and respect for the fundamental rights of individuals.

"PSG will make every effort to ensure strict respect for the values of the club, just like its determined actions to fight discrimination at the Parc des Princes since 2009. PSG wishes to play a leading role in the development of new and more virtuous practices.

"The club aims to bring together the relevant bodies (government ministries, the French Football Federation, the Ligue de Football Professionnel), the relevant associations and the clubs themselves so that common rules on the detection of young players are defined and shared. These rules must ensure the protection of youngsters while taking into account the constraints and needs of clubs in terms of scouting."