For more than a decade, Breton Noël Le Graët ruled like a sun king in the realm of the French football association FFF.

But now his power is faltering.

Le Graët's temporary withdrawal was decided at an emergency meeting of the association's executive committee on Wednesday evening.

Michael Wiegel

Political correspondent based in Paris.

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The 81-year-old menhir of French football is said to have had wet eyes at the end of the session, reported the sports newspaper "L'Équipe".

However, of the 13 members of the Executive Committee, only one voted to resign.

The decision is not (yet) a formal dismissal.

Le Graët is accused of disrespectful statements about soccer star Zinédine Zidane, a lack of communication in the extension of national coach Didier Deschamps' contract until 2026 and suspicion of sexual harassment.

The latter allegation only received attention after Le Graët tangled with football king Zidane.

Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra has used the uproar to call for a generational change at the helm of the Football Association and ordered an investigation into allegations of harassment.

Since then, more and more women have come out from under cover to denounce the Breton's macho attitude.

No interest in Zidane

The loose-mouthed Breton brought about the uproar himself.

In a radio interview, he said he had no interest in Zidane as Deschamps' possible successor.

He would have no contact with Zidane, who has been without a job since leaving Real Madrid in the summer of 2021: "I wouldn't even have answered the phone.

What should I have said to him?

Hello Monsieur, don't worry, look for another club.

I've just agreed a contract with Didier."

He did not want to take part in speculation about Zidane's future as Brazil national coach.

"I never met him and we never considered parting ways with Didier," said Le Graët.

In derogatory language, he added that he didn't give a damn ("rien à secouer") what Zidane would do in the future.

Superstar Kilian Mbappé was particularly outraged: "Zidane is France, we don't treat this legend so disrespectfully," he tweeted.

The 24-year-old national kicker does not have an undisturbed relationship with Le Graët.

After his missed penalty in the 2021 European Championship round of 16, Mbappé thought of withdrawing from the national team after the association failed to protect him against racist attacks.

Le Graët portrayed it as if Mbappé was only offended by his missed shot.

"I explained to him that it was about racism and not about the penalty.

But he felt there was no racism," Mbappé tweeted at the time.

Me Too Debate on 'Miss Auvergne'

The Le Graët me-too debate, on the other hand, dates back to former beauty queen ("Miss Auvergne") Sonia Souid, who is now a successful agent in women's football.

In an interview in the Tuesday edition of the newspaper "L'Équipe", the 37-year-old woman broke the silence.

"There has to be a woman who speaks first," she said.

For Le Graët she only consisted of "boobs and an ass", while she had discovered the future coach of the women's national team Corinne Diacre and accompanied her career.

Souid reported that she was invited by Le Graët to his flat in September 2014 to talk about women's football.

"When I arrive, he greets me with champagne.

I'm quite surprised, but I'm staying stoic and waiting," she said.

Le Graët made it clear to Souid that he would support her ideas for women's football "if we get closer".

She felt the advances as a "huge slap in the face".

“I was disappointed in my president.

For me, a president has to be a role model.

And he wasn't.'

On Thursday, two other women reported that Le Graët is said to have made advances.

The magazine "So Foot" had previously reported on sexual harassment and internal abuses in the French Football Association.

Souid also attracted media attention in another case.

She is the agent of Paris Saint-Germain player Kheira Hamraoui, who was attacked by gunmen in late 2021 and was for a time suspected of orchestrating the attack - baseless allegations that the player has struggled to shake off to this day and to be recognized as a victim.

Le Graët did not protect the player.

When asked whether Le Graët should resign, government spokesman Olivier Véran replied: "The French Football Federation deserves a President who is up to date."