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A Turkish father and son received suspended prison sentences and regional bans after a physical altercation with Louis Ducruet, nephew of Monaco's Prince Albert II, following Galatasaray's Champions League match against Monaco on Dec. 9.
The incident at Stade Louis-II has drawn widespread attention across Europe, overshadowing the match itself, which Monaco won 1-0. Selman B. and his father Hasan B., both Galatasaray supporters, spent two days in detention before appearing before Monaco's Criminal Court on Thursday.
The court handed down two-month suspended prison sentences, three-year bans from the region, and ordered each defendant to pay 1,000 euros to each of three victims, including Ducruet, son of Princess Stephanie. Medical reports documented injuries requiring between two and four days of work incapacity for Ducruet and his companions.
According to Nice Matin, tensions simmered throughout the match in the VIP honor lounge, which was largely filled with Turkish supporters. Court President Florestan Bellinzona noted that verbal exchanges and shoulder contact marked the atmosphere during the game, creating a semi-physical tension in the stands.
The physical confrontation erupted after the final whistle when Ducruet's friends headed toward the restrooms. Prosecutors alleged that Selman B. made a comment in Turkish that one member of Ducruet's group interpreted as aggressive provocation, triggering the brawl.
The case proceeded without security camera footage. Evidence consisted solely of witness statements, testimony from a Monaco Red Cross first responder who did not directly observe the fight, and medical reports showing injuries to Ducruet's face, chest and arms, as well as minor injuries to one of the defendants.
Selman B. told the court he was speaking Turkish with his cousin and displayed no aggression toward anyone. He maintained that one of Ducruet's friends approached him aggressively, pushed him, and then Ducruet grabbed him by the throat with increasing pressure.
"I felt like I was choking and tried to defend myself," Selman B. testified. His father Hasan B. said he intervened only to protect his son, insisting he had never struck anyone in his life.
When Judge Bellinzona questioned whether his response was proportionate, given Ducruet's documented facial, chest and arm injuries, Selman B. responded: "Yes, it was self-defense."
Ducruet presented a starkly different account. "I feared for my life," he told the court. "If I had taken that punch, I could have collapsed, been knocked out. I was afraid of being lynched."
Louis Robert Paul Ducruet, born in 1992, serves in management at AS Monaco football club. He is the son of Princess Stephanie and Daniel Ducruet, making him a member of Monaco's ruling Grimaldi family. His grandmother was Hollywood actress Princess Grace Kelly, who became Princess of Monaco through marriage, and his uncle is reigning Prince Albert II.
After earning a sports management degree from Western Carolina University in the United States, Ducruet worked as an international projects consultant for English football club Nottingham Forest before joining Monaco's management structure. His grandfather, Prince Rainier III, ruled Monaco from 1949 until his death in 2005, a reign spanning 56 years.
The Galatasaray supporters were released from Monaco's prison following the court's verdict.
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