After a turbulent season, the French Football Federation is convening its first General Assembly on Saturday morning since the resignation of Noël Le Graët. This meeting must confirm Philippe Diallo as president until 2024. The some 200 elected officials of French football – amateur and professional – are indeed invited to decide on the identity of the leader who will complete the current term.
After eleven years at the helm of the Federation, Le Graët was forced to resign at the end of February after an accumulation of controversy and accusations. Not a reason not to invite him to this AG. His presence was confirmed – and justified – by Diallo in a interview given to The Team this Friday.
“Justice will say what it is”
“When he resigned, he asked me to be able to continue coming to the Federation on an ad hoc basis. I saw no difficulty there, explains the (for the moment) interim manager. It is natural and legitimate that the presidents who contributed to forging this house are always associated with these meetings. »
What does the Breton’s liabilities matter, then. “His resignation was necessarily painful for him. Compared to what he brought to French football, there is a certain elegance to be had, even believes Philippe Diallo. Regarding him, there are criticisms, a number of complaints filed. Justice will say what it is. In the meantime, respecting the presumption of innocence, we must respect someone who has contributed to the influence of the FFF for years. »
During this GA, Philippe Diallo will therefore seek the confidence of elected officials to continue his action until the Elective Assembly at the end of 2024. Man of shadow and files, appreciated for his discretion as for his ability to listen, this former boss of the union of professional clubs (59 years old) has a high rating to symbolize the desired appeasement.
Even if some opponents tried, at the beginning of the spring, to bring together enough elected officials to overthrow the current executive committee of “3F”, Diallo’s confirmation on Saturday seems acquired in the eyes of all football players interviewed in recent weeks. .
Always jerks
Even if calm has gradually returned, the tremors are never far away, like the historic revolt of the players of the France team which resulted in the replacement of coach Corinne Deacon by Hervé Renard.
Thursday, other accusations of “moral and sexual harassment” issued in the magazine SoFoot by ex-referee Nicolas Pottier, currently federal coordinator of amateur refereeing, have once again darkened the horizon. The FFF immediately launched an internal investigation into the federal management of arbitration.