Noël Le Graët has been removed from the post of president of the French Football Federation (FFF), which will now be taken over on an interim basis by Philippe Diallo, revealed this Wednesday to AFP, a member of that body’s executive committee.
Le Graët, who assumed the presidency of the FFF in 2011 and whose term would end in 2024, did not oppose the most recent controversy, statements about coach Zinedine Zidane that he himself acknowledged were “maladjusted” and that the intervention of the French Minister of Sport, Amélie Oudéa-Castera.
“Noël Le Graët has been removed. (…) Philippe Diallo is temporarily occupying the position,” the same source told the French news agency, adding that Diallo will remain in office “until the meeting of the Executive Committee following the publication of the audit of the functioning of the federation”, at the request of the minister.
On Sunday, hours after the FFF extended its contract with coach Didier Deschamps until 2026, Le Graët made disrespectful comments about Zidane, who some media outlets have dubbed as a possible successor to the current coach of the world number two.
“If Zidane tried to talk to me, I wouldn’t even talk to him. What would I say to him? Probably: Hello sir, don’t bother, find another club. I just settled everything with Didier.” [Deschamps]”, he said in an interview with RMC Sportradio.
Asked about the possibility of Zidane taking Tite’s place at the head of the Brazil national team, Le Graët was again not very cordial towards the former France international: “I don’t know, I would be surprised. But I don’t care . if he goes where you are very pro-Zidane, dedicate a special program to him to find a club or a national team”.
The following day, he apologized to the former international footballer, regarded as one of the best French players ever, admitting that he should not have given the interview because “what they were looking for was controversy, to Didier [Deschamps] to Zidane, two monuments of French football”.
“I want to apologize for the statements that absolutely do not reflect my thoughts, nor my attention to the player he was and the coach he became,” Le Graët said in a statement, acknowledging that the comments about world champion Zidane in 1998, and European, in 2000, were “mavericks”.
Today’s extraordinary meeting of the federal summit, in which the president made the final decision on his fate, also resulted in the resignation of the general director of the FFF, Florence Hardouin, who had a bad institutional relationship with Le Graët.
The lengthy ‘consulate’ of 81-year-old Le Graët was marked by several controversies and alleged sexist behavior by the federation leader, who was believed to be competing with Fernando Gomes, president of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), for the UEFA candidacy . a seat on the FIFA Council.
“It is important that the FFF Executive Committee properly assess the situation, in a moment of reflection to which I invite you,” said Amélie Oudéa-Castera on Monday, pointing out that there are people in that body who already “have their value, demonstrated their efficiency, their vision and their sense of responsibility”, with the ability to “put this federation on the right track”.
According to the minister, Le Graët had a “failure in the function of representation” of French football, with statements that “seriously failed”, so he left a warning: “I don’t want these situations anymore. He has used us to this nonsense “.
The official pointed out some of the director’s controversial statements, regarding the phenomena of racism and homophobia in football, as they can “shock communities”, in addition to damaging France’s image and insulting the French.
Source: DN
