Players’ agent Sonia Souid, accuser of the former president of the French Football Federation (FFF) Noël Le Graët, defended herself on Wednesday of having been “remotely guided” in her speech, believing with the AFP to have “felt a form of harassment” from the leader.
“Hearing that my testimony was a + set-up +, it hurts me a lot. What do I have to gain from the story? Other than risking my career, my reputation? Talking about a subject that bruised me, that affected my dignity, it was only pain and suffering, ”explains the 37-year-old agent the day after the resignation of the 81-year-old entrepreneur.
At the beginning of January, the testimony of Sonia Souid with her face exposed to L’Equipe and BFM TV had weakened the leader of the FFF, already targeted by an audit carried out by the Ministry of Sports. Ms. Souid denounced the insistent attitude of Le Graët on the telephone or during business meetings.
His hearing by the inspectors led them to make a report for “sexist contempt”, and an investigation for moral and sexual harassment was opened on January 16.
Tuesday, Noël Le Graët brushed off the agent’s accusations from Le Monde and L’Equipe, calling her a “miraculous witness” and believing that she had “nothing to do in this audit”.
“Anyone who knows me knows that no one can remotely guide me,” retorts Sonia Souid to AFP. “Yes, Noël Le Graët behaved very inappropriately. What I said to the inspectors is that indeed, what I felt was a form of harassment. I suffered a form of harassment. He has to take it.”
“We had to find the timing so that my exit was audible”
“Obviously we prepared for this outing. I was the first to speak, we had to find the timing for it to be audible, ”says the agent, claiming to have “carried a weight for years”. As for her legitimacy to express herself in the context of the audit, she brandished her sports agent card issued by the FFF: “Yes, Noël Le Graët was indeed my president”, she said.
Le Graët’s lawyer, Thierry Marembert, assured France 5 on Tuesday that Noël Le Graët had simply “tried to attend (Ms. Souid) intellectually, not sexually”.
“Who socializes with people intellectually after drinking three bottles? “replies Sonia Souid, referring to multiple invitations to dinner from a “very skilful” leader and “who leaves few traces”.
Sonia Souid also challenged Fifa for keeping Noël Le Graët in his post as President Gianni Infantino’s delegate in Paris. “I ask Gianni Infantino the question: what message are you sending to victims of racism, homophobia, sexism? “, she says.
“The supreme authority that is Fifa should apply the policy of zero tolerance”, adds the agent.