Small point on the financial results of the French Football Federation which, against all expectations, will present a (very) slight deficit. Which necessarily questions.
This Saturday, Philippe Diallo will present the financial report of the French Football Federation 2020-2021. While a large deficit was expected – 5.9 million euros at the start – this will ultimately not be the case with only 200,000 euros in losses. By a rather clever little calculation since the treasurer of the FFF has integrated the UEFA allocation for Euro 2020.
“The France team stopped at the gates of the quarter-finals, he recalls in his management report. The net balance of this participation amounts to 2.9 million euros, a bonus which was budgeted for the 2021-2022 fiscal year but which is ultimately attached to the fiscal year presented to you. “
Among “The budgetary savings achieved”, the treasurer of the FFF explains that “The establishment of a job protection plan (PSE), allow the FFF to overcome this difficult crisis”. But the famous PSE should be retested by the administrative tribunal of Paris after an action for annulment filed by nine employees of the FFF. In his management report, Philippe Diallo does not, however, mention the 3.2 million euros that have been provisioned in the context of redundancies and recourse to the Prud’hommes.
A deficit avoids paying profit-sharing bonuses
An amount which must therefore be recognized in personnel costs. These do not decrease moreover very little compared to the previous season, (44.891 million against 45.157 million) despite state aid. The large drop in TV rights due to the fall of Médiapro or the loss of ticketing for the matches of the French men’s team therefore did not have an impact on the finances of the FFF. This does not fail to make leaps in the Leagues and Districts which are all more largely in deficit over the 2020-2021 season.
“The Federation could very well have presented a surplus balance sheet but having a slight deficit avoids paying the profit-sharing bonuses” admits a former employee who knows the subject well. “This assessment is very positive but quite bizarre because it augurs random additional revenue for the next season »Explains a chartered accountant. Would the FFF play with fire? Response in June 2022!
