Noël Le Graët apologizes after controversial remarks on Zidane, his future in suspense
FFF President Noël Le Graët.
AFP/Archives
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1 min
Is the output too much?
Noël Le Graët's cookie-cutter remarks about Zinédine Zidane sparked an avalanche of indignant reactions.
These controversial statements by the 81-year-old Breton leader could not have come at a worse time as his hearing approached on Tuesday by the audit and control mission commissioned by the Ministry of Sports, in particular to clarify the managerial practices of the FFF on gender-based and sexual violence.
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The appointment has been fixed for three weeks, but suddenly, it takes on even more importance.
On December 23, Amélie Oudéa-Castera announced that Noël Le Graët and its general manager Florence Hardouin would be heard as part of the audit of the FFF, relating to the managerial practices of the body in terms of sexist and sexual violence. .
In the sights of the Ministry of Sports
Le Graët is in the sights of the Ministry of Sports after the revelations of
So Foot
concerning the supposed sending of SMS of a sexual nature to employees, and accusations of "harassment".
Accusations which led to the establishment of an audit, but which the president of the Federation fiercely denies.
It is this Tuesday, January 10 that the leader must be heard.
10 like Zidane, because it is the former playmaker of the Blues who will find himself in subtext in this hearing.
The
words of the boss of the Federation
, a clumsiness according to his entourage, could not play in his favor, after his already controversial outings about the World Cup in Qatar, when he opposed the wearing of the rainbow armband or when he downplayed the plight of migrant workers, creating a stir in the world of French football.
Emotion which is illustrated today through the messages of players and former players including Kylian Mbappé and Youri Djorkaeff.
Le Graët, a president of the FFF under high pressure
The former mayor of Guingamp, usually not inclined to self-criticism, took the measure of the tsunami caused by his intervention by presenting his personal "apologies" to the former playmaker of the France team, as the had asked him on Sunday evening the Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra.
“
I would like to apologize for these remarks which absolutely do not reflect my thoughts, nor my consideration for the player he was and the coach he has become.
Zinédine Zidane knows the immense esteem that I have for him, like all French
people, ”he said in a statement to AFP.
From Kylian Mbappé, who explained on Twitter that "
we don't disrespect the legend like that
", to Youri Djorkaeff, ex-teammate of Zidane in blue, evoking "
misplaced and unwelcome
" sentences, passing by Real Madrid, outraged by "
unworthy
" remarks, Le Graët was unanimously against him.
What consequences can these statements have on the future of the leader, whose current mandate will end at the end of 2024?
Technically, the political power does not have the possibility of dismissing the president of the FFF, which would also provoke the ire of the International Football Federation (Fifa) which prohibits any state intervention.
But there is a "
feeling of fed up
" at the top of the state, we explain in the entourage of the President of the Republic, where we deplore "
a feeling of accumulation
" of "
unacceptable words
".
The ball is on the side of the FFF and its executive committee, the only one authorized to push Le Graët towards the exit.
A member of the Comex, who requested anonymity, believes that the leader's situation will be untenable.
“
There's going to be a terrible tidal wave, he's going to have to go.
The Minister is right, it is completely above ground.
It is an uncontrolled communication, but when you are president of a sports federation, the largest in France, you control
yourself, ”explained this source.
With AFP
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