Paris (AFP)

The jumper Eloyse Lesueur has summoned the French Athletics Federation before the Paris Court for "failures" in the management of his income and claims "almost 200,000 euros", we learned Friday from the FFA, confirming information from France Télévisions.

In a report that will be broadcast on Sunday on the Stade 2 program on France 3, Eloyse Lesueur (31), indoor world champion (2014) and double European champion (2012, 2014) in long jump, explains that 'when his career took off in 2008 and the signing of his first contracts, the FFA offered to take care of managing his income, but said he had "nothing" today.

According to France 3, the Federation's accountant opened a professional bank account in her name while making her sign a proxy as well as "a blank sheet".

"This allowed him to issue invoices without my having to travel," says the athlete in the report. The accountant of the federation explains to me that she has taken care of many athletes. I see all the files of the athletes she takes care of, very very big names in French athletics, I tell myself that I am where I need to be to be sure of being in the best conditions to manage my accounting part. "

"There is no contract, no negotiation, it's free. I could earn a little more than 200,000 - 300,000 euros a year, so I say to myself great, I'm really putting enough money aside to turn around if one day I have a problem, "she adds.

-the FFA rejects "any fault" -

However, Lesueur claims to have been caught in the throat by debts, tax reminders and bailiff seizures from 2015, the start of a long period of injury and poor results.

In a press release published on Friday, the FFA explained that it proposed from 2002 "to the athletes who requested it to ensure the administrative follow-up of their career", but "without ever replacing the advice of the professionals chosen by athletes on their side. "

"The FFA has in no way committed to exercise a mission of wealth management, tax, social or financial advice to the various athletes who approached it as part of this service", she continued, refuting "any fault" and considering the summons "devoid of any foundation".

Questioned by AFP, the president of the FFA André Giraud said "very very serene".

"There have been around twenty athletes who have been managed by this system and there is only one who has assigned the Federation," he said. "I do not know of any blank sheet for the Federation. If a Federation employee made her sign a sheet, it is a personal matter between her and the employee but in any case the employee was not mandated for that and the Federation never asked the athletes to sign power of attorney".

© 2020 AFP