He cannot fail to know it, he will be one of the headliners of the Federal Assembly. Noël Le Graët is announced this Saturday from 9 am to the great raout of French football in a hotel in the seventeenth arrondissement of Paris. A little more than three months after his resignation after chaos and confusion, this will be the first public appearance of the Menhir (81 years old). A participation all the more special as his former number 2, Philippe Diallo, must officially become his successor, at the end of an interim quarter.
The former big boss of the "3F" (2011-2023) was until now very discreet. His absence on March 24 at the France stadium, for the first match of the Blues after the Qatari World Cup, was noticed. In the media, too, he has the phone pick-up less mechanical.
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Our last exchange was on April 11. He was then in Martinique where he shared his life with Guingamp and Paris. "I am no longer president, see with the FFF," he replied when asked about a sexual harassment file of a former leader. "I'm far from football, I bought some goats to raise them," he then continued, without knowing how far to take this goat story.
"He comes to the assembly to say he is straight in his boots"
This Saturday, he should be welcomed at the FFF with courtesy, as are regularly received by former presidents. Some opponents will have to hide their grimace. Among them are former relatives, who ended up regretting that the octogenarian jeopardizes his image and especially that of the institution by "clinging to the branches at all costs". One of them recently explained to us that he no longer "has any contact" because he does not want "that he can think that he still has any importance."
In fact, Noël Le Graët, whose economic and sporting record is indisputable, still sometimes passes the head to the headquarters of the FFF. He offers his knowledge of the files and his interpersonal skills. "In my opinion, he comes to the assembly to say that he does not have to hide and that he is straight in his boots," said another, often on the phone with the former leader. Because this is undoubtedly the real fight of the Breton. Wash his honor.
He keeps the link with Deschamps
Severely singled out in the press and in the ministerial audit report published in February for his actions with former employees, he is the subject of a preliminary investigation for moral and sexual harassment. This he categorically refutes. This is why he counterattacked by filing a complaint for defamation against the Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, and seeking to administratively reject the report.
Do these legal proceedings explain the rarity of his visits to the Hôtel de la Marine, Place de la Concorde? On the day of his resignation, NLG had denied any retirement and highlighted his role as a representative in the French office of FIFA. This honorary title – and simply paid for – of "right-hand man" of Gianni Infantino, he does not seem to give more importance and time than before. A discreet presence and activity for a man "always very affected morally", according to a source close to the staff of the France team, with whom he still retains some links.
Questioned Friday in Clairefontaine about its former president, Didier Deschamps did not hide that the link was not broken. "I kept in touch with Noël Le Graët because of what we went through together. I'm not going to tell you when, how, why. I will always have a lot of respect and recognition for what he has done for me. We can be led to talk to each other, to see each other without it changing anything for the current president of the Federation."