We may be two days after Valentine’s Day, there will be no moods. Yes, after a few complicated months, the relationship between Noël Le Graët and the French Football Federation is about to end. The president of 3F stepped back on January 11, after several controversies, hoping for better days, but the pieces can never be put back together.
The signals are clear for the former president of En Avant Guingamp: after the damning preliminary report of the General Inspectorate for Education, Sport and Research – which pointed out that Le Graët no longer had “the necessary legitimacy to administer and represent French football” given “his behavior towards women, his public statements and the failures of governance” at the FFF – the inspection mission commissioned by the Ministry of Sports also pinned the octogenarian, Wednesday.
Now, the ball is in the court of Noël Le Graët, who is pushed to resign by some of his relatives. In the event of a vacancy, following a voluntary departure (or not) from Le Graët, four names emerge to take over from the one who is the subject of an investigation for moral and sexual harassment, opened following a report made by the inspectors: Philippe Diallo, Marc Keller, Jamel Sandjak and Michel Platini. We give you an inventory of the forces involved.
Philippe Diallo, the favorite
He is the figure that allowed the FFF to regain some calm. Appointed interim president of the French Federation since the withdrawal of Noël Le Graët, Philippe Diallo has already held several positions of responsibility in French sport, as president of the Social Council of the sports movement and president of the UCPF (Union of professional clubs of football). “I have to put myself above the fray with the sole concern of the general interest. Which means that personal ambitions must be put on hold, ”explained this close friend of Florence Hardouin to The Team.
The opinion of Gervais Martel, in West Francewho rubbed shoulders with him at UCPF: “You don’t have to stand on the table to get noticed. Philippe has restraint. He does not need to yell to explain his positions, but he is a man of ideas able to assume his convictions. Common sense has been exercised in applying the statutes. He will restore a lot of calm and serenity to the FFF. »
Our percentage chance of being elected: 85%
Marc Keller, the prodigal son
The Devil’s Kiss? In March 2022, interviewed by Pierre Menés, Noël Le Graët had indicated that at the end of his mandate, in 2024, he would see the president of the Racing Club de Strasbourg take his place: “Marc Keller is a man who has done well his life and his club. He does not bring her back for everything and nothing. But it is clear that, if he is free, I would like him to take my place. “Member of the Comex since 2016, the former attacking midfielder is a faithful support of Le Graët, whom he had also pushed to represent himself in March 2021.
The opinion of Fabrice Voné, journalist follower of Racing Club de Strasbourg: “I asked him about it a while back, and he doesn’t like it when we talk about it. It was a bit taboo. There, he is focused on Racing. The top priority is keeping the club in L1. It is also focused on the renovation of La Meinau, to increase revenue. He also wants to group the women and the reserve in the same stadium. And then, I don’t see him in there, even if he was dubbed by Noël Le Graët. »
Our percentage chance of being elected: 15%
Jamel Sandjak, the outsider
During the last election at the head of the FFF, in March 2021, many were surprised to see the name of Jamel Sandjak on the list of supporters of Noël Le Graët. And for good reason: the president of the League of Paris-Île de France had fought the Breton for ten years, supporting Fernand Duchaussoy (in 2011) and Jacques Rousselot (in 2017). But the confinement, and the stopping by Le Graët of the amateur championships, ended up convincing by the one who considers himself as “a passionate person, a person of confidence and a facilitator”.
The opinion of François Charasse, president of the League of Paris Île-de-France: “He is a credible candidate for the position, given what he shows on the Paris Île de France League, with his initiatives, his method of consultation, in particular with the district presidents, with whom he exchanges at least once a month. And then, he is a fervent defender of amateur football. He created the college of club presidents, he set up endowments for futsal clubs and referees. All these aspects did not exist before he took over the presidency of the League. And it is essential when you are at the highest level of the Federation, because it allows you to know life from below, to paraphrase a former Prime Minister. »
Our percentage chance of being elected: 55%
Michel Platini, the unexpected return
This is the surprise, the unexpected return. Stranger to the battle of the Le Graët / Hardouin clans, the former No. 10 of Juventus could come and overtake everyone in the sprint. Several influential voices, up to the top of the state, even push in favor of the former UEFA president. A meeting thus took place between Amélie Oudéa-Castéra and Michel Platini. “This meeting is not linked to the FFF crisis”, warned the Minister of Sports before the meeting. In July, Platoche, whose legal problems are over, said himself that he did not want to “appear at Fifa, UEFA, FFF, Fifpro”.
The opinion of Jacques Vendroux, journalist and friend of Platini: “My favorite is obviously Michel, because I consider him to be the man for the job, who will be able to build consensus around him, in relation to everything he has already done. I talked to him about it, and no, he doesn’t really want to come back. But if we ask him to come back in the interest of France, he will come back. »
Our percentage chance of being elected: 90% (for the beauty of the gesture), 2% in reality.