Talk about sports anyway.

As with all debates on what was to be the last day of the parliamentary session in the National Assembly, the Russian invasion of Ukraine hovered over the discussions.

The bill which aims to "democratize sport" takes "a particular dimension", declared Minister Roxana Maracineanu.

“Preserving our democracies everywhere and where we can is to bring a small stone to a building that we must protect,” she argued.

"It's a beautiful symbol" to evoke sport because it "concentrates all that is beautiful in society", positive the deputy UDI Béatrice Descamps.

Debated without fuss at first reading in March 2021 in the Assembly, the text had however already been telescoped by the news, after the vote in January in the Senate of an LR amendment prohibiting the wearing "of conspicuous religious symbols in competition".

Three months before the presidential election, the controversy inevitably came to the government, giving rise to a cacophony, and among the candidates.

Accepting the veil is "a submission to Islamism" of the majority and the executive, had thus castigated the deputy LR Eric Ciotti, also adviser to the candidate Valérie Pécresse.

The Minister of Sports had risen up in the Senate: "You only spoke of religious symbols, it is not up to the expectations of our fellow citizens or the sports movement".

In the end, the LREM text adopted by Parliament will not prohibit the wearing of the veil in competition, after the final vote of the Assembly (67 for, 6 against and 7 abstentions).

The left judging the talkative text abstained.

football society

The text also remains very meager in view of the initial ambition of a major sport and society law announced at the start of the five-year term by the former Minister of Sports, Laura Flessel.

Above all, it was embellished with a measure deemed vital by French football: the possibility of creating a commercial company responsible for better selling TV rights, especially abroad.

French football is financially burdened by the failure of the former holder of Mediapro TV rights and the health crisis.

Above all, it was embellished with a measure deemed vital by French football: the possibility of creating a commercial company responsible for better selling TV rights, especially abroad FRANCK FIFE AFP / Archives

The process of selecting potential shareholders for this future company, which will be backed by an investment fund, has already begun, with four successful candidates expected to submit their final offer on March 9.

The senators had restrained the device, to the chagrin of the Professional Football League (LFP).

But the Assembly raised the share transferable to an investor to 20% as initially planned.

By selling up to 20% of the capital, the LFP could hope to raise between 1.8 and 2.5 billion euros, according to the company's valuation figures of between 9 and 12.5 billion euros.

Parity

The text also contains a measure on the parity of sports federations, well behind in this field.

Of the 36 Olympic federations, only three are led by women.

From 2024, that is to say at the time of their next renewal, the national bodies will have to include 50% of women.

A deadline until 2028 has been decided for local authorities.

The president of the French national Olympic and sports committee Brigitte Henriques in Romilly-sur-Seine, on October 4, 2021, on the occasion of the presentation of the French Olympic and Paralympic team Geoffroy VAN DER HASSELT AFP / Archives

The text also provides for a limitation to three of the number of terms of office for the presidents of federations, so as to promote renewal.

But, during the new reading in the Assembly, the deputies nevertheless allowed those who have an ongoing mandate to do a fourth next time, in order to "propose a smooth and intelligent transition", according to Pierre-Alain Raphan (LREM).

Another measure demanded by football and voted in this text: the extension of the duration of professional contracts from three to five years.

Parliament has given its approval in principle, but this will have to be done by collective agreement.

As part of the fight against violence in stadiums, after several episodes of violence this year, the possibility of a fixed fine for possession or use of rockets or fireworks, or objects likely to constitute a weapon, was voted for an amount of 800 euros.

© 2022 AFP