• On Wednesday, the Ministry of Sports delivered a damning audit for the president of the French Football Federation, Noël Le Graët, whose "excesses" are "incompatible" with the function.
  • In retreat since January 11, the Breton sees his place more and more threatened.
  • If he resigns or is pushed out, 20 Minutes has identified four candidates to replace him: Philippe Diallo, Jamel Sandjak, Marc Keller and Michel Platini.

We may be two days after Valentine's Day, but there will be no qualms. Yes, after a few complicated months, the relationship between Noël Le Graët and the French Football Federation is about to end. The president of the 3F took a back seat on January 11, after several controversies, hoping for better days, but the pieces can never be put back together.

The signals are clear for the former president of En Avant Guingamp: after the damning pre-report of the General Inspectorate of Education, Sport and Research - which pointed out that Le Graët had "no longer the legitimacy necessary to administer and represent French football" given "his behavior towards women, his public statements and the failures of governance" at the FFF - the inspection mission commissioned by the Ministry of Sports has also pinned the octogenarian, Wednesday.


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Crisis at the FFF: "The excesses of behavior" of Le Graët are "incompatible" with his function, according to the audit


Now, the ball is in the court of Noël Le Graët, who is pushed to resign by some of his relatives. In the event of a vacant position, following a voluntary departure (or not) of Le Graët, four names emerge to succeed the one who is the subject of an investigation for moral and sexual harassment, opened following a report made by the inspectors: Philippe Diallo, Marc Keller, Jamel Sandjak and Michel Platini. We give you an inventory of the forces involved.

Philippe Diallo, the favorite

He is the figure who allowed the FFF to regain some calm. Appointed interim president of the French Federation since the retirement of Noël Le Graët, Philippe Diallo has already held several positions of responsibility in French sport, such as president of the Social Council of the sports movement and president of the UCPF (Union of Professional Football Clubs). "I have to put myself above the fray to have the general interest as my only concern. This means that personal ambitions must be put on hold, "explained this close to Florence Hardouin to L'Equipe.

The opinion of Gervais Martel, in Ouest-France, who rubbed shoulders with him at the UCPF: "It is not necessary to climb on the table to be noticed. Philippe has restraint. He does not need to rant to explain his positions, but he is a man of ideas able to assume his convictions. Common sense has been used in applying the statutes. It will restore a lot of calm and serenity to the FFF. »

Our percentage chance of him being elected: 85%

Marc Keller, the prodigal son

The kiss of the devil? In March 2022, interviewed by Pierre Menés, Noël Le Graët had indicated that at the end of his mandate, in 2024, he would see the president of the Racing Club de Strasbourg take his place: "Marc Keller is a man who has succeeded in his life and his club. He doesn't bring her back for everything and nothing. But it is clear that, if he is free, I would like him to take my place. A member of the Executive Committee since 2016, the former attacking midfielder is a loyal supporter of Le Graët, whom he had also pushed to represent himself in March 2021.

The opinion of Fabrice Voné, journalist and follower of the Racing Club de Strasbourg: "I asked him about it a while ago, and he doesn't really like it being talked about. It was a bit taboo. There, he is focused on Racing. The top priority is keeping the club in L1. It is also focused on the renovation of La Meinau, to increase revenue. He also wants to bring together the women and the reserves in the same stadium. And then, I don't see him in there, even if he was knighted by Noël Le Graët. »

Our percentage chance of him being elected: 15%

Jamel Sandjak, the outsider

During the last election at the head of the FFF, in March 2021, many were surprised to see the name of Jamel Sandjak on the list of supporters of Noël Le Graët. And for good reason: the president of the League of Paris-Île de France had fought the Breton for ten years, supporting Fernand Duchaussoy (in 2011) and Jacques Rousselot (in 2017). But the confinement, and the cessation by Le Graët of the amateur championships, has finally convinced by the one who considers himself "a passionate, a person of trust and a facilitator".

The opinion of François Charasse, president of the Ligue de Paris Île-de-France: "He is a credible candidate for the position, given what he shows on the Ligue Paris Île de France, with his initiatives, his mode of consultation, especially with the presidents of districts, with whom he exchanges at least once a month. And he's a strong advocate of amateur football. He created the college of club presidents, he set up endowments for futsal clubs and referees. All these aspects did not exist before he took over the presidency of the League. And this is essential when you are at the highest level of the Federation, because it allows you to know life from below, to paraphrase a former Prime Minister. »

Our percentage chance of him being elected: 55%



Michel Platini, the unexpected return

It is there the surprise, the return that we did not expect. Stranger to the battle of the Le Graët/Hardouin clans, the former No. 10 of Juventus could come to overtake everyone in the sprint. Several influential voices, up to the top of the state, are even pushing in favor of the former UEFA president. A meeting took place between Amélie Oudéa-Castéra and Michel Platini. "This meeting is not related to the crisis of the FFF," warned the Minister of Sports ahead of the meeting. In July, Platoche, whose legal problems are over, said himself that he did not want to "present himself to Fifa, UEFA, the FFF, Fifpro".

The opinion of Jacques Vendroux, journalist and friend of Platini: "My favourite is obviously Michel, because I consider that he is the man for the job, who will be able to build consensus around him, compared to everything he has already done. I talked about it with him, and no, he doesn't really want to come back. But if he is asked to come back in the interest of the France, he will come back. »

Our percentage chance that he will be elected: 90% (for the beauty of the gesture), 2% in reality.

Sport

Crisis at the FFF: "The excesses of behavior" of Le Graët are "incompatible" with his function, according to the audit

Sport

Le Graët case: Drunkenness, hand to thigh, "threesome" ... Investigators' report is damning

  • Sport
  • Noël le Graët
  • Michel Platini
  • Football
  • FFF
  • Ministry of Sports