Paris (AFP)

A nice pavement in the pond: a few hours from France-Andorra, in qualifying for Euro-2020, the President of the French Federation (FFF) Noël Le Graët reiterated his comments on homophobia by asking referees not to more stop matches.

Last week, Mr. Le Graët had already detonated by estimating in the columns of Ouest-France "that we stopped too many matches" for homophobic manifestations in the stadiums.

This time, it is on the antenna of France Info that the president of the "3F", 77 years, hit the nail on Tuesday morning: "The stopping of the matches does not interest me. I would stop a match for racist cries, I would stop a match for a fight, incidents if there is a danger in the stands, "said Le Graët, ensuring that racism in the stadiums and the world. homophobia in the stands, "it's not the same thing" and calling the clubs to "act" through their security services.

"I hope" that this request will be taken into account from the next day of the championship, this weekend, answered the president of the FFF, interviewed by France Info. The Technical Direction of the Arbitration (DTA), which manages the referees of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, depends on the FFF.

Quickly, this new release of the president of the federation has provoked strong reactions, and even anger among the associations that fight against homophobia.

- "Call for resignation" -

The Rouge Direct collective is calling for the resignation of Mr Le Graët, whose mandate ends in 2020, after the Tokyo Olympics, and who has not yet announced whether he wishes to run again or not.

"CALL FOR THE RESIGNATION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE @FFF Noël le Graët who announces this morning on @franceinfo have decided not to stop the football matches for homophobic acts.It wipes the crampons on the decisions of @EmmanuelMacron and @RoxaMaracineanu. #NotdecadeauforNoel ", writes Rouge Direct.

Dominique Sopo, president of SOS Racisme, invites him to "retire".

"Christmas Le Graët, president of the #FFF, agrees to stop a football match in the event of cries of monkey (thankfully!) But not for homophobic remarks. @SOS_Racisme denounces this opposition. Graët has a problem with the homophobia, let him retire! "says Sopo.

Like last week, after the first release of Christmas Le Graët, the association PanamBoyz & Girlz United, which denounces homophobia in football and works on the subject with the Professional Football League (LFP), also expressed its consternation.

"Stop a match for racist cries, yes!" For homophobic songs, no! When the president of the FFF makes a foul selection between discriminated.A totally outrageous speech.What a shame! ", The association writes on Twitter.

Reacting to AFP over Mr Le Graet, Olympique Lyonnais president Jean-Michel Aulas was more nuanced, pleading for a "moderate" use of stopping matches, on the sidelines. of the General Assembly of the European Club Association (ECA) in Geneva.

Last week, the Minister of Sports Roxana Maracineau had expressed his surprise after the words of Le Graët who, without naming it, questioned it.

Since the beginning of the season, several meetings have been briefly interrupted in L1 and L2 to stop homophobic songs launched from the stands or the deployment of offensive banners. A firmness demanded and warmly welcomed by the Minister of Sports, his colleague in charge of equality between women and men Marlene Schiappa, and associations fighting against homophobia.

No reaction from the minister at the moment. But no doubt that the reunion between the minister and the boss of the French football, this Tuesday evening, in the spans of the Stade de France for the match of the Blues, will be scrutinized with attention. Just like the stands of L1 and L2, the next weekend.

© 2019 AFP