Cornered from all sides for several weeks, the president of the French Football Federation, Noël Le Graët, has finally come out of the woods with our colleagues from the Parisian to give his version of the facts on the many affairs surrounding him and 3F. Asked about the accusations of sexual harassment against former employees of the FFF, he counterattacks. “These are not accusations but rumors that are being circulated on the basis of anonymous testimonies. I totally and firmly deny it. I have never harassed anyone. I have not sent any text messages, ”he thunders.
On the basis of anonymous testimonies, several media have indeed pinpointed the behavior of the Breton leader in recent weeks: the magazine So Foot mentioned in September the supposed sending by Le Graët of SMS of a sexual nature to employees, while Radio France reported in October several testimonies from ex-employees accusing him of “harassment” and “inappropriate” behavior.
Le Graët denounces a cabal against him and the FFF
When asked if he feels he is the victim of a cabal, the Costaarmorican replies that he has “the weakness to think so”. “I have never had the slightest inappropriate gesture in my entire life towards a woman! I can’t regret things I didn’t do. Afterwards, I understand that today, we can no longer compliment a woman or a man for their elegance, their smile, invite them to a lunch to work… Because, taken out of their context, exploited by third parties, this compliment, this attention and this way of working can become a weapon that can be turned against you, to harm you,” he continues.
The Federation has also been the subject for a few days of an audit and control mission commissioned by the Ministry of Sports to clarify in particular the managerial practices of the FFF in terms of gender-based and sexual violence. Its conclusions are expected “at the beginning of 2023”, according to a source close to the body. “There is no hidden case of sexual assault or harassment at the FFF,” assured Le Graët, repeating that he had “hidden nothing”. The ministerial audit “will be an opportunity to show that the FFF does not do anything, particularly in terms of checking the integrity of supervisors in clubs”, added the leader.
Qatar, human rights and the future of Deschamps
On the subject of respect for human rights in Qatar, host of the 2022 World Cup, Noël Le Graët also admitted having committed “a real clumsiness” when he had reacted casually to the images of the France Télévisions program. Further investigation showing the living conditions of subcontracted workers at the Hôtel des Bleus in Qatar.
“It is not insoluble that, these are strokes of paint”, had launched the boss of French football in front of the cameras of France 2. Wednesday, with the Parisianhe recalled that he does not “close his eyes” to it, adding that a federal delegation had visited the emirate in recent days for a control mission.
As for his future, the former mayor of Guingamp was clear about his wish to complete his mandate at the FFF, which runs until the end of 2024. “When you are given a mandate, you have to respect it” , he confirmed. Regarding the future of coach Didier Deschamps beyond the World Cup, Le Graët has shown himself to be faithful to his guideline. “If he fulfills his mission (qualification in the semi-finals minimum) and wishes to continue after the World Cup, he will be a priority,” he repeated.