Former Montreal Impact player Sandro Grande is “ashamed” of having praised the shooter of the Metropolis attack ten years ago. On Thursday, the soccer coach – hired and then dismissed by CF Montreal last week – made a point of apologizing directly to former Prime Minister Pauline Marois and to sovereigntist voters for his “errors”.
“I am deeply sorry for my unacceptable comments made in 2012 on social media. I’m ashamed of myself and what I wrote ten years ago,” he said when speaking to the media, about a week after the controversy.
At the beginning of last week, Mr. Grande found himself for less than 24 hours at the head of the CF Montreal reserve team. That was before an influx of negative reactions, particularly from the political class, completely changed the situation. The day after the official hiring of its former color bearer, the Montreal soccer team chose to reconsider its decision by thanking Mr. Grande. “We recognize that the hiring of Sandro Grande was a mistake,” the club said.
In the moments following the Metropolis shooting on the night of the Parti Québécois election in 2012, Sandro Grande’s Twitter account posted the following words: “The only mistake the shooter made committed last night is to miss the target! Marois! Next time dude! I hope ! »
The former player has long claimed that his account was hacked that day. However, on Thursday, he wanted to offer a personalized apology to Pauline Marois, the target of this armed attack. “I want to express my deepest thoughts to the victims of this evening. Last week, I wrote and sent a personal letter to Madame Pauline Marois to give my most sincere apologies,” he said.
Mr. Grande says he is in contact with the Parti Québécois and its leader, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon. In 2012, the coach also wrote that sovereigntist voters were “hillbillies” (“settlers”), “farmers” or downright “dumb” people.
Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon praised Thursday “the fact that Mr. Grande recognizes and takes full responsibility for his remarks”. ” [Il] seems in good faith in a process of reflection and discussion in relation to his words. […] We recognize the sincerity of his approach,” he said.