| Ilias Chair 10:28 - Nov 26 with 4513 views | Mr_Beef |
An interview in The Athletic today where he talks about the court case. Some new details in there.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6337353/2025/11/26/ilias-chair-qpr-assault-inte
Ilias Chair had just finished a training session with Queens Park Rangers in January 2024 when he pulled his phone out from his locker and saw the message from his mum. It was a screenshot from the website of one of Belgium’s biggest newspapers.
Beneath a picture of the Morocco international midfielder was a short news story explaining he was being prosecuted in a criminal case, accused of breaking a man’s skull by hitting him over the head with a stone four years previously. Chair’s stomach lurched.
As he stared at the words on the screen, his phone rang. It was his mum. She could barely speak amid sobs.
“Oh my God, son. What is this?”
Chair went into a state of shock. Five minutes later, he was called into a team meeting at QPR, and sat in silence as then-head coach Marti Cifuentes addressed his players.
“That meeting is a blank,” Chair recalls to The Athletic. “I have no idea what it was about. My head was somewhere else.”
Ilias Chair at his personal manager’s officeSarah Shephard/The Athletic
This is the first time Chair has spoken publicly about what happened in 2020. Partly, he explains, because the legal process had to be completed, and also because he wanted to “find the right time for it”. The Athletic first interviewed him at his personal manager’s office in April, a few days before the end of QPR’s season, and spoke to him again by telephone earlier this month.
Chair is not seeking sympathy: he does not hide from the fact that what he did was wrong and has expressed his deep regret to the victim’s family, including writing him a letter to apologise. But he also wants to explain, from his perspective, how a seemingly innocuous situation spiralled out of control so disastrously and caused such hurt to so many people.
Chair describes himself as being “a bit obsessed” with football. Beyond the time the 27-year-old spends with his wife and two-year-old son, everything he does is centred on the game he first started playing on a concrete five-a-side pitch 100 yards from his childhood home in the Belgian city of Antwerp.
It is one of the reasons this season has been such a frustration: his progress has been stymied by an injury he sustained just two games in, although he did score his first goal since February on Saturday. Yet that pales in comparison to events off the field in the last three years, when even football could not save him from the dark thoughts that swirled in his mind.
The charges he faced stemmed from an incident in the summer of 2020 when Chair was 22 and on holiday during the off-season. He was part of a small group of family and friends that took part in a kayaking trip in southern Belgium’s Ardennes Forest. When the excursion finished, participants waited for a bus back to their base. Alongside Chair’s group was a man identified in the case only as Niels T, with his sister and a friend.
When the bus pulled up, an argument started between the two groups about who should have boarding priority. It escalated rapidly, with Chair’s mother being hurt in the melee, although it is unclear how or by whom.
According to Belgium’s public prosecutor, there was “hitting, scratching, and biting”. At the end of it, Niels T lay on the ground with a skull fracture that measured 2cm.
Niels T was taken to a hospital in the French city of Reims in critical condition before being moved to one in Belgium, where, according to the prosecutor, he spent “a long time” recuperating. In February 2024, the court was also told that Niels T had been unable to work as a truck driver for a considerable period and was “still suffering the consequences of the blow”.
The prosecution named Chair as the individual who struck Niels T over the head with a stone.
It was a year later that the player says he received a letter informing him there was a legal case being made against him, as well as some family members. He immediately employed a new legal team and says he gave them whatever documents and information they needed.
Then came that message from his mother in January 2024, confirming that the case had developed from a civil into a criminal one and he was being accused of failing to appear for a court hearing when he hadn’t appreciated his presence was required. He subsequently discovered he had been found guilty in that hearing in his absence.
Chair says he was oblivious as to how the seriousness of his case had escalated, having left it in the hands of his legal team. “I wrongly, maybe naively, left it for them to manage,” he says. “That’s on me. I’m a grown man and should have taken control of the situation earlier. It should never have escalated to where it did.”
When The Athletic approached Chair’s former legal team, it said it was unable to comment on specific cases for reasons of confidentiality but that it always acts in accordance with a client’s instructions.
On February 23, 2024, Chair attended court with a new lawyer and requested a fresh hearing to allow him to put his side of the story across. “Although I was aware that at sentencing, my time to speak had passed, I was there to show up with my new legal team for the first time, to show that I have respect for the legal system in Belgium and that I never meant to disrespect it.”
The request was denied and Chair was given a sentence of two years in prison, half of it suspended. He was also to pay the victim €15,000 (£12,800; $16,400) in compensation. Chair’s cousin, Jaber, was sentenced to six months in prison for his part in the brawl.
“That was probably the darkest day of my life,” says Chair. “You automatically go into the worst-case scenario — everything I’ve worked for, everything I’ve done for myself, for my family, could be gone. It still makes me emotional thinking about it now.”
Growing up, emotions were a closely guarded secret in the Chair household. His Polish mother and Moroccan father were aged 18 and 23 when they had him — their first child — and he spent much of his time with his grandparents while his parents did whatever they could to build a life for their young family. They went on to have five more children, all boys, though one tragically passed away when Chair was just six.
“I still have some memories of playing with him,” says Chair of his brother. “And having a son myself now, I can imagine for my parents it must have been really hard. That emptiness, that void, will never be filled.”
Chair’s father was tough on his firstborn. Smaller than most of his peers but a naturally skilled footballer, his dad was determined to harden him up: aged 12, he was sent to live in a football academy in Belgium. His progress was rapid, encompassing Belgian second division side Lierse, QPR in 2017 and senior international caps with Morocco, but Chair never once heard the words, ‘Well done,’ from his father.
“All my life, the only person that I wanted to impress was my dad, because he was very hard with me. I struggled with it in the beginning but, later on, I came to appreciate it and think, ‘I want to prove to you that I am a good player’.”
Chair plays in the World Cup third-place play-off in 2022Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images
The moment finally came in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where, after spending all of Morocco’s incredible run to the semi-finals on the bench, Chair finally made his tournament debut in the third-place play-off game against Croatia. Morocco were beaten 2-1 but when Chair saw his parents after the game, he finally heard the words he had waited a lifetime to hear: “Son, I’m proud of you.”
“That was probably one of the best moments of my life,” he says. “Forget about playing in the World Cup, it was more about the appreciation and the acknowledgement that my dad gave me. That is really the reason I do it. I have no choice not to.”
After receiving his sentence from the Belgian court in February 2024, Chair returned to England, where he was named in QPR’s squad to face fellow relegation strugglers Rotherham United a day later.
This was possible because, in Belgian law, if an appeal is made straight after the initial sentence, the alleged perpetrator is free to continue their lives until the legal process is complete in the majority of cases. Chair played a key role in that game, helping QPR secure a 2-1 victory that took them out of the relegation zone for the first time in almost six months.
Ilias Chair suffered from various injuries last seasonStu Forster/Getty Images
Chair remains unsure how he was able to perform on the pitch with the threat of jail hanging over him. “Obviously, these things are difficult to handle, but maybe it’s down to the upbringing my dad gave me. Although it was probably the lowest point in my life, he protected me for these kinds of situations.
“The mentality that I had was: you’re a man, take responsibility for whatever happened that day and get on with it. Your family needs you. There’s still a boss who expects you to perform on a Saturday and team-mates depending on you.”
Two months later, QPR secured their safety in the Championship by beating Leeds United 4-0 in their penultimate game of the season, with Chair scoring the opening goal. The assumption is that football was an escape for Chair during that period, but he says that was not the case.
“There’s a lot of stuff that has gone on in my life, and once I’m on the pitch, I tend to forget about it,” he says. “But that was the one thing that stuck with me this whole time. A lot of people told me, ‘Maybe go and see a psychologist’, but I’ve had sports psychologists and for me, it’s not really that effective. It’s more effective when I speak about it with my family. It was something that I needed to fight, really — my own demons.”
Chair was back in court in July 2024 for his appeal. He admitted to the judge that he was the person who had lashed out at Niels T. “I simply saw my mother on the floor in a vulnerable and scary position and I reacted,” he explains. “It all happened so fast in response to what was happening. Despite this, it never should have happened.
“I wrote a letter to him and his family to say how sorry I am and apologise from the bottom of my heart. I said I wish them nothing but the best in life.”
Chair left the court with a reduced sentence amounting to 150 hours of community service and a fine of €1,600 (£1,400; $1,900) after his criminal conviction was changed to a misdemeanour.
“I spoke to the judge and I think the judge appreciated the human side of the whole case. Because at the end of the day, as a young man, being there with your family, seeing your mum on the floor, bruised up… it’s not an excuse to do what I did, but at the same time, it was such a natural and human reaction that I had to that circumstance.
“I said it through the whole process and I said it to the judge that day: I’m really sorry for what happened to that person. I just wish I could take it back. My sincere apologies to that whole family.”
Now, more than a year on, he says it has changed him. “I learned from the whole situation,” he says. “As a father, as a role model, as everything I have to be for my son. It was time for me to make sure that from that day onward, these things would not be associated with me anymore.
“We are humans, we make mistakes. My mistakes are out there in public, which is not an issue because as footballers we have the fruits of being in the public eye and playing football, which a lot of people in this world want to do, but at the same time, some negatives come with it. You have to deal with them.
“It has changed me for good in terms of taking more responsibility.”
Chair started last season full of relief and gratitude that he is still able to do what he loves. But the 2024-25 campaign still brought challenges, with injuries limiting his appearances and QPR struggling for consistency.
On the day we met in April, Cifuentes — with whom Chair said he had “connected deeply, not only in terms of football but in life” — was being linked with a move away. The head coach duly joined Leicester City in July.
This season, Chair has made only eight appearances under new manager Julien Stephan, thanks to what he calls a “freak injury” suffered in training just two games in. He returned to full training in October and was back in the squad for QPR’s 1-0 win away at Swansea later that month. On Saturday, he scored QPR’s first goal in a 3-2 win over Hull City.
The aim now, he says, is to “get back on track and make sure I can help the team”, having been told by Stephan that he should take up a leadership role within the squad. QPR are 15th, well clear of relegation danger but with ambitions to achieve much more.
Chair has only featured sporadically this season due to fitness issuesJasper Wax/Getty Images
Chair is a perennial subject of transfer speculation, but his attachment to QPR — who supported him throughout his case — is clear. In January, he signed a new long-term contract that would see him reach a decade as a QPR player if fulfilled, and he still dreams of reaching the “promised land we call the Premier League”.
It is tempting to wonder where Chair’s career may have gone had he made a different decision on that fateful summer day in 2020, but the man himself is philosophical.
“I’m just grateful that I can still go out there, enjoy myself and play football,” he insists. “I don’t really see it as a job. I’m playing the game that I love and I’m very appreciative of that.”
[Post edited 26 Nov 10:46]
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| Ilias Chair on 11:35 - Nov 26 with 4257 views | QPRSam |
Apologies as meant to upvote. Horrible experience especially when describing his mother being hit and in a scary and vulnerable position. Hopefully that's all behind him now and he can continue performing like we know he can |  | | |
| Ilias Chair on 11:59 - Nov 26 with 4126 views | enfieldargh |
I got chatting to a prison govenor last year who moved from UK's prison system to a role in Australias State Correctional system. He told me that prisons all over the world have inmates who have found themselves inside just for one silly mistake totally different from their life habits. Close call for Illy.
Hoping to see a more mature footballing wise player in Ilias as the season progreses.
I think we have seen this already as a new chapter in Illy's playing career unfolds.
sometimes a step back from things in life allows you to see things from different perspectives; hope we get to see Illys bag of tricks plus a team leader on the pitch driving us onwards & upwards. |  |
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| Ilias Chair on 12:26 - Nov 26 with 3975 views | dmm |
Thanks for taking the trouble to post this, Mr Beef. |  | | |
| Ilias Chair on 13:25 - Nov 26 with 3778 views | TwoHalves |
That’s quite a story, almost sounds like a film pitch. Didn’t manage to get to the end though. Having watched ‘Deliverance’ again the other night, I did experience a growing sense of unease when it got to the ‘kayaking in Belgium’s southern Ardennes forest’ bit. Will try and read the rest when I’ve composed myself. | | | |
| Ilias Chair on 14:30 - Nov 26 with 3562 views | JordanFoster |
Yeah not the biggest green flag this. Would take the use of “personal manager” wording and his improved use of socials recently that his team are looking for a move in the summer. | | | |
| Ilias Chair on 14:42 - Nov 26 with 3499 views | sdm1508 |
| Ilias Chair on 14:30 - Nov 26 by JordanFoster |
Yeah not the biggest green flag this. Would take the use of “personal manager” wording and his improved use of socials recently that his team are looking for a move in the summer. |
Really? How did you come to that conclusion or is it based on the instances you mentioned? | | | |
| Ilias Chair on 14:54 - Nov 26 with 3442 views | JordanFoster |
| Ilias Chair on 14:42 - Nov 26 by sdm1508 |
Really? How did you come to that conclusion or is it based on the instances you mentioned? |
Well the fact they’ve been waiting to drop this interview since end of last season but they’ve strategically waited till he was back playing and now playing well (goal at the weekend). The fact it’s in the personal managers office and was shot there makes me assume it wasn’t signed off by the club.
The fact it’s dropped on a game day would be a big no no for most clubs too again assume that they were out of the loop. There’s also no real reason to do it, let sleeping dogs lie. Unless you want it on public record for clubs that everything is done and wrapped up. It’s not like there was any other depth to it - it literally just sets the record straight.
His socials and his use of fonts in captions including bolds and italics makes me think he’s not sitting on the coach doing it but his team have got people in. Could almost guarantee that he’s employed an analytics company to build reports too. | | | |
| Ilias Chair on 15:06 - Nov 26 with 3351 views | TheChef |
| Ilias Chair on 14:54 - Nov 26 by JordanFoster |
Well the fact they’ve been waiting to drop this interview since end of last season but they’ve strategically waited till he was back playing and now playing well (goal at the weekend). The fact it’s in the personal managers office and was shot there makes me assume it wasn’t signed off by the club.
The fact it’s dropped on a game day would be a big no no for most clubs too again assume that they were out of the loop. There’s also no real reason to do it, let sleeping dogs lie. Unless you want it on public record for clubs that everything is done and wrapped up. It’s not like there was any other depth to it - it literally just sets the record straight.
His socials and his use of fonts in captions including bolds and italics makes me think he’s not sitting on the coach doing it but his team have got people in. Could almost guarantee that he’s employed an analytics company to build reports too. |
Well he needs a totally stellar four or five weeks if he thinks anyone is coming in for him in January.
If he can get the winner tonight, that would be nice! |  |
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| Ilias Chair on 15:06 - Nov 26 with 3351 views | daveB |
| Ilias Chair on 14:54 - Nov 26 by JordanFoster |
Well the fact they’ve been waiting to drop this interview since end of last season but they’ve strategically waited till he was back playing and now playing well (goal at the weekend). The fact it’s in the personal managers office and was shot there makes me assume it wasn’t signed off by the club.
The fact it’s dropped on a game day would be a big no no for most clubs too again assume that they were out of the loop. There’s also no real reason to do it, let sleeping dogs lie. Unless you want it on public record for clubs that everything is done and wrapped up. It’s not like there was any other depth to it - it literally just sets the record straight.
His socials and his use of fonts in captions including bolds and italics makes me think he’s not sitting on the coach doing it but his team have got people in. Could almost guarantee that he’s employed an analytics company to build reports too. |
good luck to him if he does get a move, I wouldn't blame him, he's running out of time to play at the top level so can see why he's doing this |  | | |
| Ilias Chair on 15:13 - Nov 26 with 3299 views | Ned_Kennedys |
| Ilias Chair on 14:54 - Nov 26 by JordanFoster |
Well the fact they’ve been waiting to drop this interview since end of last season but they’ve strategically waited till he was back playing and now playing well (goal at the weekend). The fact it’s in the personal managers office and was shot there makes me assume it wasn’t signed off by the club.
The fact it’s dropped on a game day would be a big no no for most clubs too again assume that they were out of the loop. There’s also no real reason to do it, let sleeping dogs lie. Unless you want it on public record for clubs that everything is done and wrapped up. It’s not like there was any other depth to it - it literally just sets the record straight.
His socials and his use of fonts in captions including bolds and italics makes me think he’s not sitting on the coach doing it but his team have got people in. Could almost guarantee that he’s employed an analytics company to build reports too. |
Seems very likely: January will probably be too early for a move unless he tears it up for the next 5 weeks but a decent rest of season sets him up nicely for the summer. Also outside chance of a Morocco recall for the World Cup so plenty of incentives for Ilias to do well. Still under contract so we might earn a reasonable sum. |  | | |
| Ilias Chair on 18:28 - Nov 26 with 2873 views | EN_Ranger |
The Athletic are getting hammered in the comments section of the article for a PR piece. I can see both sides, most of us would lose the plot if our mothers were thrown to the floor but hitting someone over the head with a stone / rock isn’t a good look, neither is denying it for 4 years.
I think Illy is a real Rangers stalwart and has been our best player over the last 5 years, but this article isn’t helpful for him or the club | | | |
| Ilias Chair on 19:43 - Nov 26 with 2695 views | NgaiTahu_Hoop |
| Ilias Chair on 18:28 - Nov 26 by EN_Ranger |
The Athletic are getting hammered in the comments section of the article for a PR piece. I can see both sides, most of us would lose the plot if our mothers were thrown to the floor but hitting someone over the head with a stone / rock isn’t a good look, neither is denying it for 4 years.
I think Illy is a real Rangers stalwart and has been our best player over the last 5 years, but this article isn’t helpful for him or the club |
We can probably all relate to this situation in one way or other. Seeing your Mum in physical danger I think it would be difficult to react calmly. He does own his actions though which shows his character.
Still none the wiser about the green bikini? | | | |
| Ilias Chair on 11:03 - Nov 27 with 2010 views | robith |
It's good to see him take some accountability, but I know it's not a popular opinion, but I think we'd pillory another team if we went down when they continued to play a player sentenced to jail for cracking someone's head open. The whole thing just has never sat right with me, and as fantastic a player as he has been for us, it makes me think less of him. |  | | |
| Ilias Chair on 11:31 - Nov 27 with 1914 views | BrianMcCarthy |
| Ilias Chair on 11:03 - Nov 27 by robith |
It's good to see him take some accountability, but I know it's not a popular opinion, but I think we'd pillory another team if we went down when they continued to play a player sentenced to jail for cracking someone's head open. The whole thing just has never sat right with me, and as fantastic a player as he has been for us, it makes me think less of him. |
I feel very uneasy about it as well.
I still feel like I don't know enough, even with the above article, so hard to judge either way. |  |
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| Ilias Chair on 11:42 - Nov 27 with 1847 views | W7Ranger |
| Ilias Chair on 11:03 - Nov 27 by robith |
It's good to see him take some accountability, but I know it's not a popular opinion, but I think we'd pillory another team if we went down when they continued to play a player sentenced to jail for cracking someone's head open. The whole thing just has never sat right with me, and as fantastic a player as he has been for us, it makes me think less of him. |
Bit harsh.
Fairly instinctive human reaction to seeing your mum in danger/distress.
Would be surprised if any 22 year old man would have the self control not to react in that scenario when your addrenaline is pumping.
He made a terrible mistake. Admitted as much. Has been through the court process and has shown remorse - it's time to move on. Nothing else he can do about now but learn from that experience and be a better person. |  | | |
| Ilias Chair on 12:23 - Nov 27 with 1742 views | robith |
| Ilias Chair on 11:42 - Nov 27 by W7Ranger |
Bit harsh.
Fairly instinctive human reaction to seeing your mum in danger/distress.
Would be surprised if any 22 year old man would have the self control not to react in that scenario when your addrenaline is pumping.
He made a terrible mistake. Admitted as much. Has been through the court process and has shown remorse - it's time to move on. Nothing else he can do about now but learn from that experience and be a better person. |
I dunno man, just because something upsetting has happened, doesn't give you license to pick up a rock and clart someone. I personally don't believe we get to pick and choose when the social contract and the law applies to us
I've had this conversation before so I know few agree with me here, but if he played for one of our opponents, we would not be so generous in our assessment imho | | | |
| Ilias Chair on 12:43 - Nov 27 with 1669 views | W7Ranger |
| Ilias Chair on 12:23 - Nov 27 by robith |
I dunno man, just because something upsetting has happened, doesn't give you license to pick up a rock and clart someone. I personally don't believe we get to pick and choose when the social contract and the law applies to us
I've had this conversation before so I know few agree with me here, but if he played for one of our opponents, we would not be so generous in our assessment imho |
Who knows how any of us would react "in the moment"?
It's not an every day situation that you would ever expect to find yourself in or something you'd think might happen and with cast iron certainty know that you'd behave in a certain way.
Until any one of us is ever in that same situation (and god forbid any one of us is!), we're not really in a position to judge how he reacted or how he "should" have reacted in that moment. | | | |
| Ilias Chair on 13:01 - Nov 27 with 1600 views | BazzaInTheLoft |
| Ilias Chair on 12:23 - Nov 27 by robith |
I dunno man, just because something upsetting has happened, doesn't give you license to pick up a rock and clart someone. I personally don't believe we get to pick and choose when the social contract and the law applies to us
I've had this conversation before so I know few agree with me here, but if he played for one of our opponents, we would not be so generous in our assessment imho |
It's complex moral issue hindered by a lack of information, but I can't pretend that I wouldn't be on his case if he was at another club. |  | | |
| Ilias Chair on 13:24 - Nov 27 with 1516 views | SteveCookFanAccount |
I think two things can be true:
Chair acted unacceptably and should be judged and held accountable for his actions.
He faced the consequences of his actions and did face criminal proceedings of which he was found guilty and had the appropriate sentence. He is fortunate that his job does not automatically fire you for having a criminal record.
If he is looking for a move, fair play to him. He's been here for years, and is hardly agitating disruptively. If that changes, then we can judge him.
As it is, he is someone who made a mistake, faced the consequences, and wants to progress his career. | | | |
| Ilias Chair on 13:57 - Nov 27 with 1433 views | TheChef |
| Ilias Chair on 12:23 - Nov 27 by robith |
I dunno man, just because something upsetting has happened, doesn't give you license to pick up a rock and clart someone. I personally don't believe we get to pick and choose when the social contract and the law applies to us
I've had this conversation before so I know few agree with me here, but if he played for one of our opponents, we would not be so generous in our assessment imho |
Funnily enough for some reason it seems it's only fans of the Yorkshire clubs that get their knickers in a twist about Chair continuing to play (Boro, Leeds, the Sheffields).
Strange. [Post edited 27 Nov 14:02]
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| Ilias Chair on 14:25 - Nov 27 with 1325 views | JPC |
| Ilias Chair on 13:57 - Nov 27 by TheChef |
Funnily enough for some reason it seems it's only fans of the Yorkshire clubs that get their knickers in a twist about Chair continuing to play (Boro, Leeds, the Sheffields).
Strange. [Post edited 27 Nov 14:02]
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The same Sheffield Utd that defended Ched Evans for ages.
The same Leeds that had Bowyer / Woodgate in pretty nasty attack with racist overtones. | | | |
| Ilias Chair on 10:07 - Dec 1 with 571 views | BazzaInTheLoft |
Been in The Sun with a similar piece too.
PR machine in overdrive. I wonder if it's fattening a pig up to sell by the club or just a matter of personal pride restoration. | | | |
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