Neymar, Mbappe & PSG's stars face fines for not applauding their fans

Since the broadcast of the report "Special Envoy" on Thursday, Paris Saint-Germain and their players have made headlines.

It is not just for the report by Mediapart of racial profiling among their player recruitment , which came on the back of recently released documents by Football Leaks.

In addition, the journalists of France 2 report of an ethics code in the contracts of the PSG players, which would force Neymar and his team-mates to applaud the fans at the end of each match.

Neymar and Thiago Silva have denied that is the case, however, so how does this ethics code work?

Unlike in many other countries, clubs in France are not permitted to fine their players, even for breach of club rules. While a player in England might receive a fine for showing up late to training, such an action is illegal in France.

As a result, PSG have inserted an ethics clause in each player’s contract which includes a 15-20 point system for their overall behavior, meant to promote respect toward the club.

That system includes behavior toward others involved in the game, which includes sponsors, officials, opponents and others, arriving on-time to training and respecting the club image.

Saluting the fans is included in this ethics code, but it is not considered a major part of it

Should a player fail to meet the required points, the club has the right to withhold five, 10 or 15 per cent of their salary, based on the player’s initial contract, in that given month

Any salary withheld is given to the PSG foundation.

It is important to note this is not considered an additional bonus – it is thought of as part of their regular monthly salary.

The ethics code is similar to the one the French Federation implemented after the dysfunction at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, which involved a player revolt at an open session in Knysna.

Thus far, only former PSG defender Serge Aurier has been subject to the clause. However, Marco Verratti, who was arrested last week for driving while intoxicated last week, may also find himself losing some of his salary as a result. - Sporting News