Officially, the subject was not on the table of the Council of Ministers this Wednesday. But Noël Le Graët explains that he received a phone call from the President of the Republic on Monday assuring him that he was “a formidable leader”.
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The resignation of Noël Le Graët took a political turn on Wednesday March 1, the day of the Council of Ministers. Officially, the government did not talk about football. However, Noël Le Graët claims to have received a phone call from Emmanuel Macron in person on Monday. “He told me I was a great leaderexplains the now ex-boss of French football in several interviews. I find it difficult to understand that he did not get more involved, I wish he would have slowed down his minister”.
>> What the Ministry of Sports audit contains
If the Minister of Sports claims never to have accused him of harassment, the former boss of the French Football Federation (FFF) intends to sue him for defamation. “The summary of the audit report that the [ministre des Sports] made public says the opposite” of the final audit, said Wednesday on franceinfo, Florence Bourg, one of Noël Le Graët’s lawyers. “I will not be intimidated”reacted the Minister of Sports Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, on franceinfo in the process.
A small embarrassment within the government
Emmanuel Macron held a double discourse, maintaining his old link with Noël Le Graët, but supporting at the same time Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, the Minister of Sports, sponsor of the inspection report? “Noël Le Graët is no longer president of the FFF. He has chosen to resign, we consider it a wise decision, responds Olivier Véran, the government spokesperson, at the end of the Council of Ministers. He said he wanted to appeal the independent investigation report commissioned by the general inspectorate. Justice could be seized in places so I have no comment to make.” This response is probably a sign of a little embarrassment in the government, while the Minister of Sports is accused of leading “a political-media cabal”by Noël Le Graët, decided not to let go.
“Emmanuel Macron and football is more about affect than politics.”
An adviser to the President of the Republicon franceinfo
Become over the years a political figure and nicknamed “the menhir”, theformer socialist mayor of Guingamp was at the head of the FFF at the last two World Cups.
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