"It Was the Worst Day of My Life, I Wished I Could Turn Back Time" – Ilias Chair Details Truck Driver Assault

Moroccan international Ilias Chair, a player for Queens Park Rangers, has expressed deep regret over an incident four years ago where he assaulted a truck driver by striking him on the head with a stone. Chair stated that a simple situation escalated into a catastrophe that harmed many people.

Recounting the details, Chair explained that he was on a summer holiday in 2020 with family and friends on a rafting trip in the Ardennes forests in southern Belgium. At the end of the trip, while waiting for a bus, a disagreement arose between his group and another over boarding priority. This quickly escalated into a fight during which the player's mother was injured. Chair then struck the driver with a stone, resulting in the driver being rushed to the hospital in critical condition.

Speaking for the first time about the incident in an interview with "The Athletic," Chair admitted he was unaware of the case's developments and severity because he had trusted his legal team. "Perhaps I was naive to leave things to them," he said. "This is my responsibility. I am an adult, and I should have taken charge from the beginning. Things should not have reached this point."

On February 23, 2024, Chair attended court with his new lawyer and requested a new hearing to present his account. He stated, "Although I knew that the time for my testimony had passed at the sentencing hearing, I attended for the first time with my new legal team to show my respect for the Belgian judicial system and to confirm that I never intended to disrespect it."

"That was probably the worst day of my life," Chair continued. "Everything I worked for, everything I did for myself and my family, could be lost. It still stirs my emotions when I think about it now."

He explained, "A lot has happened in my life, and when I'm on the pitch, I tend to forget about it, but this case has been stuck in my mind all the time. Many advised me to see a psychologist, but I tried sports psychologists, and it wasn't effective for me. What helps me most is talking about it with my family. I had to face this battle myself with my inner demons."

He added, "I wrote a letter to the man and his family expressing my deep regret and offering my heartfelt apologies, wishing them all the best in their lives. I said this throughout the process, and I said it to the judge that day: 'I am truly sorry for what happened to that person. I wish I could turn back time. I offer my sincere apologies to that entire family.'"

He concluded, "And now, after more than a year, I have learned from everything that happened as a father, as a role model, and everything I should be for my son. It's time to make sure these things are no longer associated with me. We are human and we make mistakes. It has changed me for the better in terms of taking more responsibility."