dismissal of the investigation for “moral and sexual harassment” targeting the former president of the FFF

Former president of the French Federation, Noël Le Graët, in the federation's premises, January 10, 2023. CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT / AFP

Spectacular epilogue in the Noël Le Graët affair, known as “NLG”. According to information from Monde and of The Teamthe prosecutor's office announced to the latter that it had taken the decision to dismiss, on October 17, the preliminary investigation opened in January 2023 for “moral and sexual harassment” against the former president of the French Football Federation (FFF). No offense appears sufficiently serious at the end of the investigations.

The brigade for the suppression of delinquency against the person, after hearing around thirty people, interviewed Mr. Le Graët on January 26, 2024. “It’s a big relief. There is still a little anger that remains deep inside me, entrusts the latter to Monde. I'm not at the forgiveness stage but I'm happy to have come out of this affair with my head held high and to restore some of my honor towards my family. »

Also read the decryption: Article reserved for our subscribers FFF: between administrative inspection and judicial investigation, Noël Le Graët surrounded by business

Read later

At the helm of the FFF since 2011, Mr. Le Graët had to resign, in February 2023, under media and political pressure, at the end of a reign of nearly twelve years, marked by indisputable sporting and economic success. “I didn’t deserve this outing. I should have been at the end of my term in December [2024] and exit through the front door”he regrets.

He was singled out by an audit report from the General Inspectorate of Education, Sport and Research (IGESR). The inspectors denounced a “very centralized exercise of power”, son “inappropriate behavior” “towards women”and “inappropriate and offensive character accentuated by excessive alcohol consumption”.

Against a backdrop of political standoff between Mr. Le Graët and the sponsor of the inspection mission, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, then Minister of Sports, the judicialization of the case was initiated, on January 13, 2023, by a report issued to the public prosecutor, under article 40 of the code of criminal procedure, by the head of the IGESR, Caroline Pascal.

Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers Noël Le Graët affair: the general inspectorate issues a report to the courts for “sexist contempt” under article 40

Read later

The latter has since acknowledged to the Monde that his report resulted from the content “from the last hearings of the mission which were held in the preceding days”. On January 10, 2023, the general director (DG) of the FFF, Florence Hardouin, was heard and reported to the IGESR alleged acts of sexual and moral harassment that she said she had suffered from Noël Le Graët.

“An objective alliance against me”

You have 65.87% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.

-

-

PREV Paris, best current European series
NEXT Juric: “For now I’ve done decent things. I want to win back the fans” – Forzaroma.info – Latest As Roma football news – Interviews, photos and videos