The General Inspectorate points to a “faulty federal governance” at the French Football Federation.
by Rémi Dupré
After five months of investigation, the General Inspectorate for Education, Sport and Research (IGESR) sent its final audit report on Wednesday, February 15 to the president of the French Football Federation ( FFF), Christmas Le Graët, to its general manager, Florence Hardouin, to the temporary boss, Philippe Diallo, as well as to the Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castera.
The inspectors took into account the observations made by the incriminated parties, after the submission of their provisional report on January 30, but “the general meaning” of their work “was not changed”.
At the end of 114 hearings, the IGESR denounces, in the synthesis of their final relationship of which MO12345LEMONDE has learned, a “faulty federal governance”. “The functioning of the Executive Committee illustrates a weakness of democratic exercise”, write the rapporteurs, who underline the “low weight of the moral authorities” within the FFF.
As expected, the final report on Noël Le Graët, 81, targeted since January 16 by a preliminary investigation for “sexual and moral harassment” after a report issued by the Igesr to the Paris prosecutor’s office. The inspectors evoke “a president whose drifts of behavior are incompatible with the exercise of functions and the requirement of exemplarity attached to him”.
“Brutal methods” of Florence Hardouin
In addition to a “very centralized power exercise”, the inspectors condemn the “inappropriate behavior” of “NLG” “vis-à-vis women”. They mention SMS sent by Mr. Le Graët, “ambiguous for some and of a sexual nature for others”. “The hearings led by the mission highlighted that the displaced and abusive character of the words of Mr. Le Graët can be accentuated by the excessive consumption of alcohol”. The gesr “considers that the drifts of behavior of Mr. Le Graët are now detrimental to the image of the FFF and invites the federal bodies to examine this situation in application of the statutory provisions”.
Regarding M me hardouin, layoff in a precaution since January 11 and under the threat of a dismissal for “serious fault”, the Igesr considers that “the brutal methods and the behavior deemed erratic “of the DG” no longer allow him to exercise a recognized authority “.
The inspection mission “notes, however, that the director general considers that she had suffered from the inappropriate behavior of Mr. Le Graët, whose reprisals in the event of direct opposition. Their operational proximity has thus been transformed into Toxic relationship. “
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