Seven French sports leaders suspected of perjury before a parliamentary commission of inquiry

Among these people are the president of the French Tennis Federation, Gilles Moretton, that of the French Equestrian Federation, Serge Lecomte, and the president of the Ice Sports Federation, Gwenaëlle Noury.

At least six French sports leaders are the subject of reports to the courts for perjury, franceinfo learned Thursday January 4 from the Paris prosecutor’s office, confirming information from the World.

These six people are suspected of making erroneous statements – under oath – before the parliamentary commission of inquiry into the dysfunctions of sports federations. The latter sent the six reports to the courts for perjury, under article 40 of the code of criminal procedure.

Among these people is the president of the French Tennis Federation (FFT), Gilles Moretton, suspected of perjury concerning financial matters.

Commission suspects erroneous testimony

Regarding the five other people, the parliamentarians believe that they did not demonstrate honesty during their hearings on acts of sexual and gender-based violence of which they may have become aware. The commission therefore suspects erroneous testimony. The people concerned are the president of the French Equestrian Federation (FFE), Serge Lecomte, that of ice sports (FFSG), Gwenaëlle Noury, the former boss of the French Federation of Judo and associated disciplines (FFJDA) and current secretary general of the International Judo Federation, Jean-Luc Rougé, the legal director of the French Football Federation (FFF), Jean Lapeyre, and the general director of the National Institute of Sport, Expertise and performance (Insep), Fabien Canu.

Sabrina Sebaihi, environmental rapporteur of the parliamentary committee, also indicated that she had issued a seventh report targeting Nadir Allouache, president of the French Federation of kickboxing, muay thai and associated disciplines (FFKMDA). “There may be others, we’re not done yet”she added to AFP.

It is now up to the courts to decide whether there is grounds to open an investigation or not. Article 40 of the Code of Criminal Procedure states that “any constituted authority, any public officer or civil servant who, in the exercise of his functions, acquires knowledge of a crime or misdemeanor is required to give notice without delay to the public prosecutor and to transmit to this magistrate all the information, minutes and acts relating thereto”.

The commission of inquiry has been working since the summer in the Assembly on the response of federations to sexist and sexual violence, on the fight against racism or their financial management, with a series of hearings. She was due to submit her findings in December. They will finally be delivered on January 16.