An Algerian football star was reportedly arrested at Paris’ main airport after getting into a scrap with staff on his flight.
Youcef Belaili, who plays for Esperance de Tunis, was filmed being detained at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport after reportedly getting into an altercation over a seatbelt.
The forward, whose team lost 3-0 to Chelsea at the Club World Cup, clashed with Air France crew members on a flight from New York on Wednesday.
According to French outlet RMC Sport, things got heated when Belaili’s two-year-old son asked to leave his seatbelt unfastened, but was told by staff to do it up.
A clash then broke out between Belaili and the cabin crew, which led to Air France requesting a police presence at the airport.
Belaili was arrested and taken to a nearby police station but was released in the afternoon as it was an ‘insufficiently substantiated offence’.
Algerian footballer Youcef Belaili was reportedly arrested on his way home from the Club World Cup
The star, whose side Esperance de Tunis played against Chelsea, got into an altercation with plane staff over his son’s seatbelt
Air France requested police support and he was detained after landing, but later released
His father Hafid said: ‘My son Youcef suffered an injustice at Charles-de-Gaulle airport in France (…) The French police humiliated my son even though he is an international player.
‘He was mistreated at the airport. It’s a disgrace to treat an international player like this over a seatbelt.’
Belaili himself also posted on Instagram after landing in Paris, sharing a photo of the crew and writing: ‘Algerian and proud b***ards.’
This is not the first time that Belaili has been involved in a high-profile controversy.
The 33-year-old previously served a two-year suspension after testing positive for cocaine during an anti-doping test in 2015 while playing for Algerian side USM Alger.
He had been hit with a four-year suspension but that was reduced by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, who found that he had ingested it unintentionally via a shisha pipe.
Belaili did not play between September 19, 2015, and October 28, 2017, so he has done well to bounce back and become one of Algeria’s leading stars.
His career has taken him from Algeria to France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Tunisia.
Esperance de Tunis are Tunisia’s most successful club with 34 league titles and made a fair stab at the Club World Cup.
After losing 2-0 to Flamengo and 3-0 to Chelsea, they defeated LAFC 1-0 in the final group stage game to leave with their heads held high.
Belaili did not feature in the first two games but scored the winner in the last match to ensure Tunis finished third in their group ahead of LAFC.
