According to Africa Top Sports.com, Mbaye Niang was detained by police at the Montpellier police station on Thursday following his involvement in a hit-and-run incident on Sunday while driving a Ferrari.
After questioning by investigators, the 19-year-old forward was sent to criminal court to face charges of endangering lives, hit-and-run, and driving with a canceled license, as reported by a source close to the investigation cited by AFP.
Niang admitted to driving the vehicle at the time of the incident, despite initially claiming otherwise on his Twitter account. L’Équipe reported that the AC Milan loanee could be released later in the evening.
His coach at Montpellier, Rolland Courbis, came to his defense, stating, “I have a habit of not commenting on stories I don’t fully understand. As long as I lack additional information, I won’t waste energy discussing it, which could harm the rest of the team.”
Courbis emphasized Niang’s young age, acknowledging that slip-ups are not uncommon at nineteen. He praised Niang’s parents and Montpellier’s role in nurturing his development.
“While mistakes may occur, it doesn’t negate his potential as a footballer. Today, there’s no indication that he won’t represent the French national team in the upcoming European Championship. At present, he’s part of the squad for our upcoming match, but his fortunes may change in the coming hours.”
