Will Noël Le Graët still be president of the French Football Federation (FFF) in a handful of days? The question hovers as the final audit report of the General Inspectorate for Education, Sport and Research (IGESR) on the governance of the “3F” will be submitted on Wednesday February 15 to the Minister of Sports, Amelie Oudea-Castera.
In the process, the minister should speak and make recommendations. “The inspection and investigation reports of the General Inspectorate are not intended to be published on ministerial websites “, specifies the ministry.
At the FFF, the big maneuvers have begun. The members of the executive committee will meet on February 17 to draw the conclusions of this final report. This meeting could also be chaired by Mr. Le Graët, insofar as he agreed with the elected officials that the period of his withdrawal, which began on January 11, would end after the delivery of the final audit.
What will the president of the FFF then decide, pinned down by the provisional report of the IGESR submitted on January 30, and weakened by the opening by the Paris prosecutor’s office, on January 16, against him, of a preliminary investigation for ” sexual and moral harassment” following a report sent by the inspectors to justice, under article 40 of the code of criminal procedure?
Preparing for your succession
At this stage, “NLG”, 81, has not publicly announced that he intends to resign. In private, the patriarch of French football makes no secret of his desire to choose the moment of his release. “He will know how to take his responsibilities when the time comes”says a federal elected official.
The Breton leader could soon announce to the executive committee (“comex”) his next departure and remain on the throne for several more weeks to manage current affairs, settle current files, say goodbye to employees and above all prepare his succession. Because the octogenarian, in office since 2011, intends to weigh on the electoral process before abdicating.
In his crosshairs: his number 2 and interim boss of the FFF, Philippe Diallo, declared candidate for the executive committee of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for the April ballot and close to the former director general of the federation, Florence Hardouin, suspended on January 11 and under threat of dismissal for serious misconduct.
While the knives are sharpening in the corridors of the Parisian headquarters of the FFF, in the 15e district, “NLG” would prefer to see its political allies, such as Jamel Sandjak, boss of the Paris Ile-de-France League, Jean-Michel Aulas, president of Olympique Lyonnais, or Marc Keller, president of Racing Club de Strasbourg, in take over the reins at the next federal assembly in June.
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