Algerian international Ilyes Chetti, who plays club football for Ligue 1 club Angers, was on Thursday handed a four-month suspended sentence for sexual assault.
The 28-year-old left-back was sentenced after admitting touching a woman in a nightclub on December 4.
The incident involving Chetti and the woman led directly to the resignation of Abdel Bouhazama after the then-Angers coach made inappropriate comments in support of the player.
"It's not that serious, we have all touched girls," Bouhazama told his players in a pre-match team talk, according to sources, to justify the inclusion of Chetti in the line-up.
Chetti, capped seven times by Algeria, joined Angers on a four-year deal in July 2022.
Angers, bottom of Ligue 1, are 15 points from safety and winless in their past 21 games in the elite French league.