We erase everything. While they had been engaged in a remote legal duel for months, the French Football Federation (FFF) and Florence Hardouin decided to bury the hatchet. According to information from the newspaper Le Monde, subsequently confirmed by L’Équipe, the former director general of the body (from 2013 to 2023) agreed to withdraw, in August, her complaint against Noël Le Graët for “moral harassment and sexual”. The former boss of the FFF was forced to resign last February.
An exchange of good practices which will allow Florence Hardouin to receive her severance pay. The Team mentions a sum exceeding one million euros… The former fencer was, initially, dismissed from the FFF for serious misconduct before seeing this reason withdrawn. She finally agreed to compromise with her former employer to put an end to industrial tribunal action. She also undertook to withdraw her criminal complaint against Noël Le Graët and to refrain from any legal proceedings against the FFF.
According to Le Monde, this withdrawal of complaint was made, demanded, by the “3F”, and more particularly by the current president Philippe Diallo, the successor of Noël Le Graët. The FFF, as Le Graët’s employer, is in fact likely to be involved in the criminal investigation which was opened by the Paris prosecutor’s office for moral or sexual harassment.
The agreement signed between the FFF and Hardouin therefore allows the Federation to protect itself. Despite everything, the criminal investigation opened against Le Graët by the Paris prosecutor’s office is not over yet. Florence Hardouin could even intervene as a witness.
Furthermore Noël Le Graët will be heard this Tuesday by the National Assembly’s commission of inquiry dedicated to the failures of sports federations, the sports movement and governance bodies in the sporting world. A commission which saw leaders and personalities from the world of French sport parade, including Didier Deschamps at the beginning of November.
As a reminder, the former all-powerful leader of the FFF, replaced in his functions temporarily and then permanently by Philippe Diallo, was first dismissed then forced to resign after the outbreak of several assault and sexual harassment scandals. in French football and within the federation, some concerning him. Florence Hardouin, for her part, will be heard on Thursday from 9 a.m. She requested, and obtained, that her hearing take place behind closed doors.
