“I have no voting instructions to give,” says Philippe Diallo, who guarantees “players full freedom of expression”

If the French Football Federation, through its president Philippe Diallo, has reiterated its intention to remain neutral in the current political debate, it wishes to guarantee the freedom of expression of the players of the France team.

The words of a president of the French Football Federation at a press conference, in the middle of a competition, are rare. But Philippe Diallo surprised on Tuesday June 18 by appearing in front of journalists in Paderborn (Germany). A speech announced at 1:30 a.m. the same day by the press chief of the Blues, following the match won (1-0) by the Tricolores against Austria. The reason ? Speak publicly for the first time on the political situation in France and the comments that followed among the Blues.

“I have always said that I guarantee players full freedom of expressionassured Philippe Diallo. These are young men who have an outlook on society, it is not up to me to restrict them on a certain number of subjects which concern their generation. It was very good, it’s part of a citizen’s duty to go and vote. Some have gone further in their position and I respect their line perfectly. Simply I am president of a federation, I have no voting instructions to give to the French. Our federation, with 2.4 million members, must bring together the French in their diversity of opinion. It’s normal that the Federation does not have the same freedom of expression as the players.”.

The last time a President of the Federation was invited to participate in the competition was in 2016, when Noël Le Graët came at the end of the first round of a Euro organized by France, or in 2010, when Jean-Pierre Escalettes came to explain the exclusion of Nicolas Anelka from the group at the World Cup.

There, no crisis, but a desire to clarify one’s position. In a press release on Saturday, the FFF recalled that it was associated “the necessary call to vote, a democratic requirement”and that she wanted “that its neutrality as an institution be understood and respected by all, as well as that of the national selection for which it is responsible.”. A neutrality that Kylian Mbappé had not observed, the next day, by positioning himself against “the extremes”.

A position that the president of the “3F” does not regret: “I remember in the past that people said that footballers had no idea about anything and that they had to kick a ball. I think that we should especially congratulate ourselves on that today”he assured, while nevertheless hoping that “the French team brings together the French around the same jersey”. And while according to Kylian Mbappé, the Blues are considering publishing a joint press release, Philippe Diallo claimed not to know its content. He just wants “that the French team is not exploited” by the different political parties.

Asked about the possibility of working with a potential Minister of Sports from the National Rally, Philippe Diallo said he “respectful of the republican tradition”. “Elections, when they take place in a democratic framework, produce a result. The French will choose who they trust and as a federal institution, we will be respectful of their opinion”he added.