Noël Le Graët suspended amid row over Zinedine Zidane comments

• Noel relieved as president of France’s FFF football federation.
• He was suspended over disparaging remarks he made about  Zidane.
• Allegations of sexual harassment made by a female football agent.

According to unidentified sources cited on Wednesday, Noel Le Grat, the president of France’s FFF football federation, has been relieved of his duties following a dispute over disparaging remarks he made about Zinedine Zidane, the hero of the 1998 World Cup.

The announcement came after an urgent meeting of the executive committee of the French Football Federation, at which Vice-Chairman Philippe Diallo was named to serve as interim president.

Le Grat was suspended after being compelled to apologise to Zinedine Zidane for remarks he made regarding the former Real Madrid coach that infuriated players and politicians.

This week, charges of sexual harassment made by a female football agent—all of which Le Grat denies—weakened his position even more.

Didier Deschamps’ contract was extended after he guided the side to the World Cup final, where they lost to Argentina last month. Didier Deschamps was one of the front-runners to replace him as France’s manager.

When asked if Zidane, a World Cup winner with France in 1998 and a national icon, would now manage Brazil’s national team instead, Le Graët told : “I don’t give a damn, he can go wherever he wants.”

On Tuesday, the head of the FFF’s national ethics committee Patrick Anton had called for Le Graët to step down, saying his comments showed he had “lost some of his lucidity”.

“We need a strong and serene governance, which unfortunately is no longer the case. All season long we have to apply the rules of ethics to leaders – especially district and league presidents – and refer cases to disciplinary committees because they have crossed the line,” Anton added.

“As far as the president of the federation is concerned, while we obviously do not intend to refer the matter to a disciplinary committee, we can only ask him to step down in the best interests of football.”

Earlier, France forward Kylian Mbappé also voiced his disapproval of Le Graët’s comments, saying on Twitter: “Zidane is France, we don’t disrespect the legend like that.”

Amelie Oudea-Castera, France’s Minister for Sports, was one of many politicians who responded to Le Grat’s comments by claiming that the leader of the nation’s “largest sporting federation” had crossed a limit.

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