Sandrine Barbarin remembers this Saturday March 30. That evening, shortly after midnight, at the bar of the Lille hotel where executives of the French Federation of Karate and Associated Disciplines (FFKDA) were staying during the French championships, Francis Didier, its president, allegedly attacked She. “Are you happy? Did you get what you wanted? »the leader would have shouted. Then he allegedly grabbed her wrists and collar several times. ” Shut up ! You are nothing, nothing at all! » And concluded his attack by declaring: “I don’t care about the flooring. I’ve been in office for twenty-five years, nothing will happen. » Shocked, Sandrine Barbarin, who sits on the board of directors of the federation and chairs a club in Isère (Dojo du Vercors), filed a complaint two days later and was prescribed four days of total incapacity for work.
The reason for Francis Didier’s anger? An article from Dauphiné released published the day before, which reveals the opening of a preliminary investigation for breach of trust by the Grenoble public prosecutor’s office following a report filed at the end of January by Sandrine Barbarin for suspicion of hidden financial movements. A sum of 100,000 euros would have passed through on June 10, 2022, “in the greatest opacity”according to the karateka – also a lawyer –, between the departmental committee of Isère and the federation, without appearing in their annual accounts and without the prior agreement, however essential, of the boards of directors of the two associations concerned.
False, respond Francis Didier and Mario Grumic, director of services of the FFKDA. “The departmental committee had a very important reserve fund. Its president, Thierry Lombardi, decided to donate this sum [100 000 euros] to the federation to continue to benefit from subsidies. This is clearly established in federal accounting. We have been completely transparent with Mme Barbarin »supports the legal manager, who specifies having ordered an audit of the Isère committee from the KPMG firm.
Read also | Article reserved for our subscribers The French Karate Federation criticized for its inaction in the fight against sexist and sexual violence
Read later
It is impossible to know since when this system was put in place, nor what the money was used for, asks Sandrine Barbarin. The same suspicions of embezzlement would weigh on the neighboring Rhône committee, maintains Michel Cipriotis, retired police captain, deputy secretary general of the federation from 2008 to 2012 and former president of the Lyonnais league.
“On December 12, it’s clear to me, I’m retiring”
You have 77.71% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.
