A number two who waltzes, a number one disavowed by the professional clubs… Things are rocking at the head of the Technical Directorate of French Arbitration (DTA). Not a week has gone by since the resumption of the French Ligue 1 Championship in January without the soap opera giving birth to a new tumultuous episode. This Friday, ten days after the dismissal of Stéphane Lannoy, the college of clubs made it clear that no, the file was not closed. Seventeen of the eighteen presidents have called for the departure of boss Antony Gautier, who has only been in office for a short year, but who has never been favored by the elite.
This standoff, which is taking place against a backdrop of repeated controversies over the use of VAR and battles of ego, is not about to end. Recommendations resulting from an independent audit were sent to the FFF and will be the subject of discussions on April 18.
VIDEO. The boss of French referees wants even more VAR in Ligue 1
And to think that the story had started well. January 2023. Before the Le Graët storm, the FFF inducts the Gautier-Lannoy pair at the head of the DTA. The first, “director”, is supposed to give major directions at the federal level. The second, “delegated technical director”, manages the elite in a sort of reserved domain.
How did the discord arise?
The state of grace lasts almost a year, at least publicly. The Ligue 1 days took place without any major hitch. But behind the scenes, there is growing indignation at the level of the gatherings organized in Clairefontaine. “Our internships were really bad. I was ashamed. There were internships where we didn’t work. No innovation, no reflection. Particularly during video analyses, which consisted of tackling colleagues rather than adopting a constructive approach and understanding the objective reasons behind the errors,” says a referee on duty.
As the months go by, relations become strained between Antony Gautier and Stéphane Lannoy. The weekend’s performances are debriefed via screens. Inconsistencies are multiplying on the line to adopt regarding the use of video assistance. On January 28, Lannoy made a mistake. He responds in the middle of the match to a text message from Lille president Olivier Létang. A few minutes later, the latter used this message to intimidate the referee at half-time and tell him that his superior had confirmed an error in judgment. A serious attack on the independence of the arbitrators, the corporation is outraged, as one man.
“It was not possible to please everyone with this organizational chart which was not one. There could only be one leader,” says Saïd Ennjimi, former professional referee and now president of the Aquitaine League.
Why haven’t L 1 clubs taken off since Lannoy’s departure?
It is very simple. Because the balance of power is currently in their favor, they might as well take advantage of it to maximize their influence on the decision-making processes. “The basic problem is that arbitration is the only area where the League has no leverage, and they have been looking for years,” explains a high-ranking member of the FFF.
Moreover, because Anthony Gautier was never their number one choice. The former international referee and mayor of Bailleul (North) is a trusted man of the FFF, not the LFP.
In the meantime, it is he who will assume the functions of number one and number two between now and the end of the season. Philippe Diallo and his men will have to decide on the new course by then. This is good, they have an independent audit for this which was given to them in mid-January.
What does this report say?
The FFF had in fact commissioned a report last June on “arbitration management procedures”. A mission entrusted to Dominique Laurent. This former Director of Sports, honorary State Councilor and experienced in the mysteries of high-level sport, was contacted in response to the revelations made in So Foot by former referee Nicolas Pottier. The latter denounced a problem with homosexuality within the authorities, between “positive discrimination”, favoritism and well-kept secrets.
After hearing nearly 35 people between July and December 2023, Dominique Laurent presented his conclusions to the executive committee (executive committee) in mid-January. In a tone that is anything but alarmist, aware of the cyclical crises in this environment, she called for a certain number of reforms. Its priorities: calming relations with professional clubs through the effective implementation of liaison committeecreated in 2022 but never assembled yet, and optimize the system – necessarily always a little subjective – of ratings.
First, it recommends renewing, training and compensating observers on the lawns every weekend. Concerning the Federal Arbitration Commission, which has the final say on the future of professional referees at the end of each season, the idea is to endorse the DTA ratings and not “enter into confrontation” , which may have been the case in certain specific cases in recent years.
It also asks that no member be at the same time as the head of a League or a District, or even an observer, in order to avoid any conflict of interest. The two members of the committee Éric Borghini, boss of the CFA and president of the Mediterranean League, and Pascal Parent, president of the Auvergne – Rhône-Alpes League, would for example be concerned. The technical management of arbitration is, for its part, called upon to renew its executives and open up profiles, particularly in terms of gender parity.
What does the FFF respond to?
According to our information, a working group composed among others of Éric Borghini, Jean-Michel Aulas, Marc Keller, Pascal Parent and the general director of the FFF Jean-François Vilotte will look into these conclusions on Thursday April 18.
In the meantime, Anthony Gautier has full public support. President Diallo estimated that a “red line had been crossed” after the pressure from the Ligue 1 college. “The questioning of Antony Gautier is not fair and it is a vile reaction to the departure of the one they had knighted! » urged vice-president Jean-Michel Aulas on X, ex-Twitter.
Philippe Diallo knows he is expected on this issue. The federal elections take place next December. And to run for a second term, which he should do unless there is a big surprise, he has no interest in targeting professional elected officials, who represent 33% of the electorate.
