2023-11-02 18:19:56
“Even there you are! » Smiling and joking, Didier Deschamps knows from the presence of photographers that he is not summoned like the others by this parliamentary commission of inquiry into the failure of sports federations, which has been conducting hearings since the end of July.
It was therefore, this Thursday, the turn of the coach of the Blues to answer for more than an hour and a half the questions of Béatrice Bellamy, the president of this commission, Sabrina Sebaihi its rapporteur and the handful of deputies present in the room the vast majority of seats of which are empty. “I usually have a full house,” laughs “DD”.
His presence was required to discuss the “serious operating difficulties within the French football federation”, and cases of sexist, sexual violence or cases of racism in football. The question of racism took up a good part of this interview, with many sometimes repetitive questions to which Deschamps answered, more or less, the same thing.
His relationship with Karim Benzema barely mentioned
“I have not been confronted in my sporting activity with situations of this type. I’m not saying there isn’t racism in football. Football is very popular, it is a reflection of society so we find all the good and bad sides (…) However, I would not want football to be stigmatized more than another discipline: the world of sport is not spared from these problems. When it happens in football, it gets a much bigger media impact. »
“Racism, I was unfortunately a victim in 2016 when my house in Brittany was tagged, it was unspeakably violent and it had significant consequences on me and my family. »A link with Karim Benzema and his non-selection for the Euro, perhaps, wonders the commission? The former Blues striker, with a tumultuous relationship throughout his career with Deschamps, was ultimately only mentioned on the margins.
In particular, the subject of Benzema’s departure from Qatar was raised, for which he had already responded in the press with comments which were quoted by the rapporteur. “I don’t mind going into detail, I don’t know if this is the place to retell the story of what happened in Doha. From the moment I spoke, it was factual, I said what happened. The situation happened exactly like that. I can give you text messages if you want more details, but I don’t think that will move things forward. »
“No player will tell you: I have nothing to do with homophobia”
Regarding the crisis at the FFF, cases of sexist and sexual violence, Didier Deschamps rightly recalled that he was “not an FFF employee like the others”, who was not “not in the daily life of the federation”. On non-sporting areas, on the actions or declarations of former president Noël Le Graët, Deschamps remained on his line: not to talk about politics, not to take a position or comment on the declarations or actions of his superior , with whom he described a professional relationship. “When I express myself like today, it is not the citizen Didier Deschamps who is speaking, it is the coach of the France team and that does not only concern me. »
A final point which excited the debate was the fight against homophobia in football and in particular the episode of the non-broadcast of a clip for an association, which had been filmed in the presence of three players. “It’s not that the others didn’t want to. There are other obligations and demands. There was still the captain of the France team (Hugo Lloris at the time). The others can be invested in other associations. No one will tell you: I have nothing to do with homophobia. (…) It’s impossible to satisfy everyone. »
The question of the “One Love” Armband, ultimately not worn during the World Cup in Qatar, was also raised. “We were abandoned before this World Cup because the responsibility lies with the authorities,” Deschamps said. From the moment decisions were not made, it was everyone’s free decision until the very start of the competition. It is better for there to be collective and general action so that there is as much impact as possible. Before a World Cup, a competition, I already have enough things to take care of internally. »
If Didier Deschamps was not able to answer all the questions, which sometimes went beyond his area of expertise, he spent the exercise in a certain serenity and a caring atmosphere. The proof, the comment of the president at the end of the session, who suggested to Mr. Deschamps to invite the deputies present to a future match of the French team if he had had a good time. “There you have to go through my president” slipped the coach in a final comment.
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