Official: FFF President Le Graet announces his resignation

2023-03-01 11:09

Official: FFF President Le Graet announces his resignation


On Tuesday, French Football Federation (FFF) president Noel Le Graet announced his resignation amid the scandal. His term was supposed to run until 2024, but he was suspended from January 11 due to sexual harassment.


FFF's current acting chairman is Philippe Diallo. It has been officially confirmed that his time as acting chairman will be extended until June 10, 2023, the date of the next executive committee meeting of the French Football Association. At that time, FFF will select a new chairman.


Noel Le Graet was born in Bourbriac on December 25, 1941. He is a well-known French entrepreneur and politician. He has served as the chairman of FFF since June 2011, and is regarded as the helm of the French men's football team that has won 1 World Cup championship, 1 World Cup runner-up, and 1 European Cup runner-up.


However, Le Graet's inappropriate behavior towards women was investigated by the regulator IGESR after it was reported by So Foot magazine. He has been accused of sexually harassing many women for a long time, including several female employees of FFF, former FFF officer Florence Hardouin, well-known football agent Sonia Souid, French national women's coach Corinne Diacre, etc. people.


"Unfair, unreasonable and false allegations"

Le Graet insisted that all the charges against him were a premeditated political conspiracy. "In any case, this is a well-organized media-political cabal," he told Le Monde in an exclusive interview. "It must be. Who built it? I don't know. I usually have a sniff of it."


"This is an unjust, unreasonable and false allegation," he continued. "We will challenge it in administrative court. All conclusions will be swept away. I sent a text message saying: 'I hope you have a good night...without me.' That's all they've charged against me."


“There is no such thing as ambiguous text messages. The women on the executive committee saluted me almost in tears. I have many women in my colleagues, Mrs Hardouan as managing director and Brigitte Henriquez as vice president. I am used to working with women. No complaints have been made against me nor have I attacked anyone! Don't give me this crap! I have neither attacked anyone nor touched Mrs. Hardouin or anyone with my pinky people."


'I plan to join FIFA'

FFF official Eric Borgini said that Le Graet will join FIFA after his resignation. "The president (Le Graet) has been appointed by Gianni Infantino to lead the FIFA office in Paris. FIFA recognizes his competence, expertise and experience," Borgini said. revealed to the media.


Le Graet himself later confirmed that he will be the head of FIFA's Paris office. He told Le Monde: "From next week, I will take over the management of the Hôtel de la Marine, the subsidiary of FIFA in Paris. I have discussed this with Gianni Infantino. The idea has been brewing for a while."


"I will be Infantino's right-hand man in Paris. I should be paid for my travels. I am not a salaried employee with a contract. My assignment has no time limit. If I don't like it, I can do it in three months. I will work with Africa to promote development. I will not leave the world of football. Instead, I plan to join FIFA."