SMS of a sexual nature, alcoholism, behavioral abuses … What the ministry’s report on Le Graët and the FFF reveals

Text messages of a sexual nature, “excessive alcohol consumption” … The elements are against Le Graët

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The president of the federation, in office since 2011, and accused of moral and sexual harassment by employees, is described as a leader “ whose behavioral excesses are incompatible with the exercise of their functions and the requirement of exemplarity which is attached to it “. The synthesis, which is five pages after the hearing of one hundred and fourteen people and four and a half months of investigation on all the themes mentioned above, reveals with precision the facts alleged against the former PS mayor of Guingamp.

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The hearings conducted by the mission “shed light on inappropriate behavior” of the former boss of the Professional Football League “with respect to women “, echoing the text messages”ambiguous for some and clearly sexual in nature for others », sent at late hours to the attention of employees.

The Ministry of Sports puts strong pressure on the Comex of the FFF to dismiss Le Graët

Another dependent element, the character ” moved » et « offensive ” remarks by the president of 3F that could “ be accentuated by excessive alcohol consumption “. Faced with all these elements, the auditors conclude that the latter “no longer has the necessary legitimacy to administer and represent » French football. As a reminder, the Ministry of Sports does not have the power to dismiss the president of the FFF, under penalty of interference. Now instructs the federal authorities, in particular the Comex, which should meet in the coming days, to make their arrangements in the face of an explosive situation. The pressure emitted by the executive has never been so intense.

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Florence Hardouin, the general manager, also takes it for her rank

The rest of the file, of which many elements of the pre-report had leaked in recent days, does not fail to severely scratch the general manager Florence Hardouin, expected on February 21 for an interview prior to dismissal. The latter, currently on sick leave and the victim of a stroke, is being attacked for her ” brutal methods and behavior deemed erratic, humiliating “, but also “the use of coarse language or the exchange of insults ” who does not ” enable him to exercise recognized authority “. A report that confirms what we have been writing in our columns in recent months about the toxic relationship between the president and his CEO.

Le Graët knows he has to leave but does not want to give in under pressure from Oudéa-Castéra

Silent in the media but still passing from time to time at the headquarters of the federation, Noël Le Graët continues to affirm to those around him that he has done nothing serious. He sees it as heavy flirting, others as harassment. To date, no complaint has been filed against the 81-year-old leader. It is up to the courts, already seized via article 40 of the criminal procedure code, to decide on this specific point. As for his resignation, insistently desired by the Minister of Sports, the “Breton menhir”, assures in private that it is not the latter, for whom he dedicates contempt and anger because of the leaks of the mission of inspection in the press, which will dictate his agenda. And at the same time his exit from the stage, he who saw himself continuing and concluding his mandate until the end of 2024. Casual in his relations with the previous sports ministers (Flessel, Maracineanu), Noël Le Graët clearly underestimated the resistance and strength of character of Amélie Oudéa-Castéra. “I am never the first to strike, but if we do things that I do not consider acceptable, untrue or unfairly provocative, I will react”, she confessed to Figaro last Thursday.

Despite everything, faced with a harmful situation, a latent internal war with its “DG”, a comex less and less united with its person and eager to turn the page, “NLG” knows itself inaudible and forced to have to leave its place. By pride and / or desire to control what can still be, the former mayor is waiting for the right moment to leave the scene, he who has been raging in the world of French football for more than forty years. His family tells him to resign, his relatives too and in the corridors of the FFF, all have given up on the mandate of a man better able to lead such a flagship. The governance of French football has never been so close to the precipice. The final fall is near. The work to come promises to be colossal.