French football is set for a significant upheaval as both the President of the Federation (FFF) and the women's head coach are expected to step down from their positions.
Noel Le Graet, who has been the head of the FFF since 2011, has already taken a step back due to a legal investigation into alleged sexual and moral harassment and a damning audit commissioned by the Sports ministry. He will be at the centre of Tuesday's executive committee. If he does not resign, Le Graet, 81, could be brought before the FFF's disciplinary committee, or the executive committee could resign to force new elections.
Following Le Graet's expected departure, the women's coach, Corinne Diacre, is also likely to step down.
Diacre's position has become untenable since team captain Wendie Renard announced last week that she would not play at this year's Women's World Cup to preserve her mental health.
Breaking | France's women's team coach Corinne Diacre is expected to join FFF President Noël Le Graët in resigning on Tuesday following a number of key players striking, in opposition of her management, according to @MohamedTERParis. More follows.
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) February 27, 2023
Renard cited the "current system" as the reason for her departure, claiming it is "far from the requirements of the highest level" and has taken a toll on her mental health. Fellow internationals Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Kadidiatou Diani followed suit soon after her announcement, saying they were taking a step back from the national team.
Kadidiatou Diani & Marie-Antoinette Katoto have joined Wendie Renard in stepping aside from the French national team.
Spain, Canada, Peru…and now France😔 pic.twitter.com/g92GbOJUy6— Women’s Transfer News (@womenstransfer) February 24, 2023
According to a report in French multimedia outlet RMC Sport, Renard will not play for the national team as long as Diacre is in charge. The 48-year-old Diacre, who in 2014 became the first French woman to coach a men's team when she took charge of then Ligue 2 side Clermont, was appointed France head coach in 2017.
However, Diacre had previously attracted criticism from other French players, including Gaetane Thiney and Sarah Bouhaddi, and was also criticised at the European Championship in England last year for leaving out influential senior players Amandine Henry and Eugenie Le Sommer, their all-time leading goalscorer (86 goals), in her squad of 23. Renard's statement takes aim at Diacre, who has had high-profile clashes with key players during her time as manager.
