PARIS, Sept 14 — The ex-partner of Lilian Thuram has filed a complaint of domestic violence against the most capped player in French football history.
Karine Le Marchand, a 45-year-old television presenter, registered the complaint with police in the upmarket 16th district of Paris on September 4, police sources said today.
Guadeloupe-born Thuram, 42, was a defender for Monaco, Parma, Juventus and Barcelona and was one of the heroes of France's World Cup triumph on home soil in 1998, scoring two crucial goals in the semi-final win over Croatia.
He went on to win a total of 142 caps, and his image as a particularly humble and articulate footballer has made him hugely popular with the French public.
Thuram has a reputation for espousing social causes, having established his own anti-racism foundation and campaigned on issues including the rights of illegal immigrants and, most recently, gay marriage.
According to the ONDRP watchdog body, a total of 53,868 incidents of domestic violence against women were registered in France in 2011, resulting in 122 deaths. — AFP
