The smile displayed by Gilles Moretton in the stands of the Bercy tournament is as wide as it is sincere. It would be wrong to deprive ourselves of it given the start of the week of fire from our French on the courts of the Accor Arena. Behind the scenes, on the other hand, without going so far as to speak of grimace soup, there would be more tense grins than blissful smiles, while the electoral campaign for the French Tennis Federation is in full swing and the results are awaited next December 14.
Three years after succeeding Bernard Giudicelli, whose mandate had been marred by a certain number of not necessarily pleasant affairs, to restore order and transparency in the house, the outgoing president no longer seems to benefit from the credit which was his when he arrived. And this despite a more than honorable figures, which will have seen the FFT increase its income, in particular thanks to the profitability of Roland-Garros, and the licensees returning en masse after years of decline and an inevitably difficult Covid period.
The opposition believes in it more than ever
The challenge did not discourage Romain Roesch. The former traveling companion of Gilles Moretton, who decided to run against him, does not hide his optimism in this final stretch. “We are more and more confident in our ability to win,” he assured us during a meeting in a Parisian café in October. We go out into the field to meet people and we feel a certain sympathy towards our list, people tell us about a lack of democracy in the Federation and hope for change. »
If he feels so confident, it is because he knows that the electoral mechanics have changed compared to 2021. From now on, half of the votes go directly to club presidents, the other half remaining in the hands of the electors, the leaders of Leagues of Committees. However, according to Mr. Roesch's entourage, the numerous affairs which punctuated the Moretton mandate could push the club presidents to opt for a new big Christmas cleaning, tired as they are of seeing their discipline make the front page. extra-sporting newspapers.
In addition to the complaint for misappropriation of property and corruption targeting the French Federation regarding the ticketing of Roland-Garros, closed without further action by the National Financial Prosecutor's Office, it is the entire section on the social climate at the FFT which fuels the discussions in behind the scenes. Pinned down by a report from the audit firm Technologia for its brutal management, after the publication of two open letters signed anonymously by around a hundred employees, the boat of the president and his teams is rocking dangerously. The ouster at the end of July of Nicolas Escudé, the former National Technical Director, after several months spent on sick leave, partly illustrates this slightly tense climate at the FFT.
A social climate finally peaceful?
At the time, Gilles Moretton pointed out a company “destructive” of his person. Questioned by us two weeks ago, he did not change his views. Attacked by Germain Roesch on his solitary and authoritarian practice of power within the FFT, he draws: “My record is unassailable so that inevitably stirs up jealousy in the opposite camp. I regret that we are not having a debate of ideas but a campaign focused solely on bashing, on the denigration of my person. But I'm used to it, I've already suffered it in the past. I find this campaign to be quite nauseating on the part of my opponent. »
Concerning the social climate within the federation, on the other hand, the tone has changed. He who assured a year and a half ago that “harassment, terror, there is none in the Federation” today concedes that he has not necessarily done everything well. “There were some very good things done during these four years but there were also probably mistakes made. When we undertake things, it can never be perfect. The important thing is that we heard and resolved the problems. »
He refers in particular to the “Fair play” program set up by the FFT in order to “improve the quality of life at work”, says the president. According to him, “with the new Director General in charge, the climate has completely calmed within the federation. » Germain Roesch questions the timing of this program, announced just a few weeks ago.
“I hope it’s not a publicity stunt,” he smiles. This project is a response to the harsh conclusions of the Technologia report, that's good, but I wonder about the fact that we waited until the end of the mandate and the approach of the elections to launch it. » “Fair Play?” It's an invention of the new director general to save the president's head, nothing more, nothing less. If he stays, people will leave. The big salaries will stay because the soup is good, but for the others, it is still largely unbearable within the Fédé,” slips a former employee, always aware of the atmosphere at the FFT.
“If you are not with Gilles Moretton, you are against him”
For many, the former CEO Caroline Flaissier, dismissed in February by Gilles Moretton, conveniently served as a fuse, making her responsible for the social unhappiness within the company. “I think that the arrival of Stéphane Morel has indeed helped to ease tensions a little at the FFT, but I am not sure that the internal atmosphere has fundamentally changed,” says a former member of the house who kept many contacts inside. “There is still a form of secrecy, no one dares to speak because people are all freaked out,” says another.
Despite our numerous requests, no current FFT employee wished to answer our questions. “A friend who is league president, whose name I will not mention, and who supports Moretton, was seen talking with Germain Roesch. He was subsequently summoned and accused of treason. It is a regime of permanent suspicion, of terror,” continues another source close to the federal environment.
Business at the center of concerns (or not)
A fierce opponent of Gilles Moretton, Stéphane Thomann, the former president of the Bas Rhin Committee, is categorical: “It's simple, if you are not with Mr. Moretton, you are against him. There he says “I’m going to change”. Those who want to believe it will believe it, I am not one of them. »
For his part, Gilles Moretton accuses his opponent of running solely to gain the spotlight, after having “failed during the 2022 legislative elections” in the first constituency of Val-de-Marne, he, the departmental councilor (DVD), without having no real “development program nor clear vision for French tennis”. “All of a sudden he said to himself that he was going to come and take care of tennis. No, that's not how it can happen, our sport deserves better, it deserves ideas, judges the president. We need a project, not to be constantly on personal attacks…”
It remains to be seen whether all this will have an impact on the vote of club presidents. Some fear that the affairs which agitate the FFT are the least of their worries, they being especially attentive to the financing of their local infrastructures. “The clubs are generally happy because there has never been so much money in their coffers, but it’s thanks to Roland-Garros. Another president will continue this policy, it is not down to Mr. Moretton alone, insists Stéphane Thomann. In Alsace, to speak of what I know, the club presidents are not fooled and are beginning to understand Mr. Moretton's way of leading. Now, will that be enough? » Response in just a month and a half.
