Noël Le Graët withdrew his complaint for defamation against the former Minister of Sports Amélie Oudéa-Castera which will therefore not be judged as planned by the Court of Justice of the Republic (CJR), Thierry Marembert told AFP on Thursday , lawyer for the former boss of French Football.
The former minister herself announced this withdrawal of the complaint on X: “Noël Le Graët informed the CJR that he was withdrawing his defamation complaint against me. on the repeated discrepancies in language and behavior which led him to resign from the French Football Federation,” wrote Ms. Oudéa-Castera on Thursday.
“As at the time for his resignation, he is making a wise decision for himself and for the French Football Federation (FFF),” said the short-lived Minister of National Education at the start of 2024.
Asked by AFP, Me Marembert “confirmed the withdrawal of the complaint, which dates from Tuesday”.
“Justice has ruled. Noël Le Graët explained himself at length, was believed and was exonerated,” he continued.
Mr. Le Graët benefited on October 17 from a classification by the Paris prosecutor's office for an insufficiently characterized offense, in the investigation into moral and sexual harassment opened 18 months earlier and which had precipitated the fall of the “menhir” of French football.
“The French do not need Noël Le Graët to form their opinion of +AOC+”, as the ex-minister is nicknamed, scathed Me Marembert. “No need to waste time.”
His client “intends to devote himself to his family and the world of football, his two great passions, to which he still has a lot to contribute,” he added.
A judicial source confirmed to AFP the receipt by the CJR of a letter dated Tuesday “emanating from Mr. Le Graët's counsel and stating his intention to withdraw (his) defamation complaint”.
“It will be up to the CJR to draw the consequences of this withdrawal, if it is confirmed, during the hearing which will open on December 3” and which was scheduled to last until the next day, added this source.
As provided for by press law and except in special cases, the complainant's withdrawal procedurally puts an end to the action initiated when it is effective.
After eleven years of reign, between sporting successes, economic recovery and epilogue in the media storm, Mr. Le Graët left the head of the FFF at the end of February 2023 under pressure.
He had been weakened by clumsy statements about the icon Zinédine Zidane and especially by testimonies from women attributing inappropriate behavior to him, in particular through “SMS messages that were ambiguous for some and of a clearly sexual nature for others”. Accusations that Mr. Le Graët fiercely denied.
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