The final version of the audit commissioned by the Ministry of Sports to the French Federation (FFF), which highlights in particular a number of sexist and inappropriate behaviors of its president Noël Le Graët as well as deplorable human management methods of Florence Hardouin, the general manager, must be addressed this Wednesday to the interested parties. The inspection mission delivers its verdict after final hearings and a two-week period granted to Le Graët, the general manager Florence Hardouin (layoff) and the executive committee of the FFF to respond to the accusations.
The parties involved could claim a one-week postponement to heal their defense, but the Sports Ministry told AFP that the report would be sent as planned on Wednesday. It will take into account the contradictory elements issued by the latter when they were made aware of the ministerial preliminary report concerning them. Normally, a summary of this audit will then be made public, as the Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra had announced. She should then hold a press conference at her ministry to draw the conclusions of the audit. It is difficult to see how the one who has publicly stepped up several times to slam the methods of Noël Le Graët could not call on the latter to leave the FFF definitively.
What will Le Graët do?
But the choice of words could be important. Because the same day at 4 p.m., Emmanuel Macron will receive at the Élysée Palace Gianni Infantino, the boss of Fifa. Historically, the international federation refuses that governments interfere in the management of national federations. Infantino could therefore warn the President of the Republic against too much interference by the executive in the affairs of the FFF.
This day should therefore mark the end of the audit mission. Then will come the time for the conclusions to be drawn for the “Comex”, the government of French football made up of fourteen people, including Le Graët.
The ball is especially in the camp of the president, set back since January 11 and pushed to resign by some relatives. A departure or a return to business? The 81-year-old leader should make his position known quickly during an extraordinary Comex, possibly as early as Friday. The preliminary report of the General Inspectorate for Education, Sport and Research (IGESR) proved overwhelming: Le Graët no longer has “the necessary legitimacy to administer and represent French football” given the “his behavior towards women, his public statements and the failures of governance” at the FFF.