The president of the French Football Federation (FFF), Noel Le Graet, resigned on Tuesday after more than ten years. The decision comes after allegations of sexual and psychological harassment made by a manager of football players.
The resignation of Le Graet, 81, comes 13 days after the publication of a damning report on the management practices of the Paris-based FFF, commissioned by the French ministry that oversees sport.
“Given his behavior towards women, his public remarks and the failure of the FFF board, Mr Le Graet lacks the necessary legitimacy to lead and represent French football.”indicated the report.
In January, Le Graet had already agreed to resign from his post pending the outcome of the audit, which has now concluded that he should not remain in office because his “behavioral excesses are incompatible with the performance of his duties”.
Also in January, it was revealed that Le Graet, whose tenure was due to end in 2024, was under investigation for sexual and psychological harassment following allegations made by a football agent, Sonia Souid, a manager of footballers.
Noel Le Graet was already under pressure after making “inappropriate” comments about Zinedine Zidane’s possible interest in coaching the French national team. This after trainer Didier Deschamps saw his contract extended until 2026.
“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 conducted at the beginning of January against RMC Sport radio.
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 can’t care if he goes where you are very pro-Zidane, dedicate a special program to him so that he can 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”.
Following the controversy, Le Graet announced his departure from the FFF leadership on Tuesday at a meeting of the French federation’s Executive Committee, with members of the committee telling AFP that Philippe Diallo would remain in the position of interim president.
Diallo, a vice president of the association who initially took over from Le Graet when he was ousted in January, is therefore expected to remain in office until a permanent successor is elected in June.
“The FFF recognizes Noel Le Graet’s outstanding sporting and economic achievements,” the federation said in a statement, before criticizing the authors of the audit. “The report does not mention a systematic failure,” the FFF indicates.
Le Graet, a former mayor of the small town of Guingamp, oversaw the rise of the local football team that became a front line during his time as club president.
He became president of the FFF in 2011, at a time when French football was going through a difficult time following the team’s disastrous performance at the 2010 World Cup when the players went on strike.
Le Graet oversaw Deschamps’ appointment as manager in 2012, and France reached the Euro 2016 final – won by Portugal – as hosts.
Le Graet’s leadership of the FFF coincided with the rebirth of the team, which became world champions in 2018 after reaching the final of the World Cup in Qatar, which he lost to Argentina on penalties.
“He is a great leader. This association is one of the best run associations,” veteran Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas, an influential member of the FFF Executive Committee, insisted on Tuesday.
However, Le Graet’s departure also comes amid a deepening crisis in the French women’s national team.
Several stars of the women’s national football team, led by captain Wendie Renard, announced last week that they would no longer be playing for France in its current configuration, with just five months left until the World Cup, which takes place in Australia and New Zealand. .
Source: DN
