Emmanuel Macron will receive the boss of the International Football Federation (Fifa) Gianni Infantino on Wednesday to discuss the strengthening of partnerships in France, but the institutional crisis at the head of French football could also be addressed.
The President of the Republic must discuss partnerships and the strengthening of FIFA's place in France, the Elysee Palace told AFP on
Tuesday
.
According to
Radio France
, Gianni Infantino also intends to warn Paris against any interference in the affairs of the French Football Federation (FFF).
The government was very offensive towards the boss of the FFF Noël Le Graët until his withdrawal after a long crisis.
The government no longer hides its desire to leave Le Graët
Asked about this possibility, the presidency assured that this was not the reason for the visit of the boss of Fifa.
But if the case is mentioned, Emmanuel Macron "
will recall that he is very attentive to the independence of the sports movement, and that he does not intend to interfere
", assured his entourage.
The Minister of Sports Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, while claiming to respect
the “autonomy
” of sports federations, had weighed with all her weight in favor of the withdrawal of Noël Le Graët after an accumulation of controversy.
She notably ordered an audit and control mission on the FFF which, according to the provisional report completed at the end of January, proved overwhelming.
The cookie-cutter remarks of the leader of French football on the icon Zinédine Zidane and the dissemination of a testimony on his sexist behavior precipitated his dismissal, which is not, however, final.
Government spokesman Olivier Véran also felt, following a Council of Ministers chaired by Emmanuel Macron, that French football deserved "a
president up to the task
" who broadcasts "
a good image
" in the world.
Since then, the situation has become even more complicated for Noël Le Graët with the opening of a judicial investigation for moral and sexual harassment, accusations which he denies but which darken his desire to return.
The final version of the audit report is expected on Wednesday, or the following week if Noël Le Graët obtains a postponement to heal his defense.
