Sources: French FA president resigns amid probe

Noel Le Graet has resigned arsenic president of France's shot federation (FFF) amid misconduct including intersexual harassment and a damning audit, the federation said connected Tuesday.

Le Graet, caput of the French Football Federation (FFF) since 2011, has denied wrongdoing and said connected Tuesday that helium would stay successful the sport, with FIFA offering him enactment of its Paris bureau.

Le Graet had taken a measurement backmost amid a ineligible probe into alleged intersexual and motivation harassment and a damning audit commissioned by the sports ministry.

- Le Graet probe sends French shot successful chaos

Earlier this month, the audit concluded that Le Graet, 81, nary longer had "the indispensable legitimacy" to administer and correspond the athletics successful France and "highlighted the inappropriate behaviour of Mr Le Graet towards women."

"Noel Le Graet announced... to the Executive Committee of the French Football Federation his determination to measurement down from his position," the FFF said successful a statement.

"Philippe Diallo, vice-president, volition enactment arsenic interim president of the FFF until June 10, 2023, the day of the adjacent national assembly."

The FFF criticised the ministry's audit, saying it was "based little connected nonsubjective facts than connected assessments."

Le Graet, who presided implicit his past enforcement committee connected Tuesday and whose mandate was owed to extremity successful 2024, said helium would situation the conclusions of the audit via "all ineligible channels".

"I person ne'er harassed anyone, morally oregon sexually," helium told French sports regular L'Equipe connected Tuesday.

Le Graet said FIFA caput Gianni Infantino had told him helium could instrumentality complaint of the Paris bureau of soccer's satellite governing body, FIFA.

"I saw Gianni Infantino [on Monday] successful Paris and helium gave maine the responsibility," Le Graet was quoted arsenic saying.

Le Graet had besides travel nether occurrence from players and politicians for criticising French World Cup victor Zinedine Zidane.

He was criticised for extending France manager Didier Deschamps' declaration until 2026, 2 years aft his word astatine the caput of the FFF expires.

French shot has been successful turmoil recently, contempt the nationalist broadside reaching their 4th World Cup last successful the past 7 editions of the tournament, losing to Argentina successful Qatar past December.

The French women's squad coach, Corinne Diacre, has besides been nether occurrence aft skipper Wendie Renard said past week she would not play astatine this year's Women's World Cup.

According to a study successful French outlet RMC Sport, Renard said she volition not play for the nationalist broadside arsenic agelong arsenic Diacre is successful charge.

Fellow internationals Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Kadidiatou Diani besides said they were taking a measurement backmost from the nationalist team.

ESPN sources added Diacre's destiny arsenic manager would beryllium decided connected March 9 by a prime committee.

Information from Reuters was included successful this report.